MASTER 

EGA  TIVE 


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AUTHOR: 


DAA 


RETT,  REV. 
JAMIN  [FISK] 


TITLE: 


LECTURES  ON  THE  NEW 
SPENSATION,... 


PLACE: 


WYORK 


M^  A     m      M     M^    • 


55 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DEPARTMENT 


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IS  V  - 


*      * 


*. 


THE  THEOLOGICAL  WRITINGS 


OF 


EMANUEL   SWEDENBOIIG: 


ITDLISIIKD   BY   THE 


Itnuriam  .Stochnborg  frittting  anb  ^ublisHng  ^miv, 

AND   FOR   SALE  AT   THEUl   DF.rOSlTORY, 

NO.    47    BI"'  ""    tWMTCl^      XTFAX'    \'oi>K- 


92)  &.^^ 


211 


DIVINE  liOV: 

One 

Tliia  work,  as  its  i 
ctrning  tlic  operntions 

r-reation  of  tlio  iiniver:* 
tiun.  It  (XjtlaiiB  Hit*  t 
men  ami  angols,  an<l 
Trinity.  It  also  trt-at 
^ncce^sivo  opening  of  i 
evil  imd  of  evil  uses; 


in  tUt  mt^  of  ^cttr  ^otli 


g 


DIV 

'111 is  work  li'cat-s 
iiud  imfoLls  the  etenu 
regulated.     It  shows. 
Lord  has  for  its  end 
are  Laws  of  the  ])iv 

slutuld  aei  fitmi  liberty  aeeormn*^  u»  rt-nsun ,  nmt  .t  •••...» 
foreed  l>y  external  meaus  to  think  and  will,  and  po  to  believe  and  love,  tli.' 
thin'T's  whi<'h  are  of  religion,  hut  that  \ut  should  lead  and  souu-tinios  force 
hhnself  to  it ;  tluit  a  man  slioidd  he  h'd  and  taught  from  the  L<u'd  out  of 
heaven  by  the  AVord,  and  by  doetrine  and  preaching*  frouj  the  AVor<l :  That 
11h;  Divine  Providence,  from  thing.s  the  most  singular,  is  universal,  and  that, 
in  ;ill  it  does,  it  has  respect  to  Avbat  is  eternal  with  man,  and  to  things  tem- 
porary only  so  lar  as  they  aeeord  with  things  eternal:  That  the  Laws  of 
permission  are  also  Laws  of  the  Divine  I'l-ovideiuM'.  smd  for  wh.it  end  rvils 


ot*««<iiii.      Ill 


!'l 


PA* 


\ 


I  t 


I 


i\ 


\ 


are  permitted:  That  the  Divine  Providence  is  equally  with  the  wicked  and 
the  good:  That  every  man  may  be  reformed,  and  that  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  predestination:  And  that  the  Lord  cannot  act  against  the  Laws  of 
the  Divine  Providence,  because  to  act  against  them,  would  bo  to  act  against 
his  Divine  Love  and  his  Divine  Wisdom,  consequently  against  Himself. 

These,  and  many  other  topics  of  a  kindrc<l  nature  are  treated  in  an 
exhaustive,  an<l  at  the  same  time  in  a  luei<l,  masterly,  and  eouvineing  man- 
ner, in  this  volume. 

♦- 

HEAVEN   AND   ITS  WONDERS, 
THE   WORLD   OF  SPIRITS,  AND  HELL: 

FROM   THINGS    SELX    AND  lU^ARD. 

One  vol.  8vo.,  pp.  050.     Price  .jU  ets. 

This  work  unfolds  the  laws  of  the  spiritual  world,  dtseribes  the  condi- 
tion of  both  good  and  evil  spirits  there,  and  discloses  tlie  order  or  general 
arrangements  of  the  iidiabitants,  both  of  heaven  and  of  hell,  and  the  object- 
and  scenery  by  which  lliey  are  surrounded.  It  troat*Nof  the  human  foym  oi 
every  ai  gel  and  of  the  whole  heaven,  of  the  innmnerable  angelic  societi*  - 
of  which  the  whole  heaven  consists,  auii  of  the  coiTcspondence  between  all 
the  tilings  which  belong  to  heaven  and  those  which  belong  to  the  earth  and 
to  man;  of  the  sun  of  heaven,  and  of  the  light  and  heat  thence  proceeding; 
of  time  and  space,  representatives  and  appearan<*es  in  heaven,  and  of  the 
changes  of  state  experienced  by  the  angels ;  of  their  garments  and  habitations, 
their  language  and  writings,  their  innocence  and  wisdom,  their  government, 
their  worship,  and  their  state  of  peace;  of  the  origin  of  the  angelic  heaven, 
a!ul  its  conjunction  with  the  human  race  by  means  of  the  Word;  of  the  state 
of  the  Gentiles,  and  of  infants  and  3'oung  children,  of  the  rich  and  the  poor 
and  of  tlie  wise  and  ihoi  simple,  in  heaven;  of  the  occupations  of  the  angels ; 
of  marriages  in  heaven;  of  heaveidy  joy  and  hippiness;  and  of  the  immen- 
eit\'  of  heaven.  It  also  treats  of  the  World  of  Spirits,  or  first  state  of  man 
after  death,  and  the  successive  changes  of  state  which  he  has  to  pass  through 
subsequent!}';  of  the  nature  of  hell,  and  the  true  Scripture  signification  of 
the  devil,  satan,  hell-tire,  and  the  gnashing  of  teeth ;  of  the  appearance,  situa- 
tion and  plurality  of  the  hells;  and  of  the  dreadful  wickedness  an<l  direful 
arts  of  infernal  spirits. 


THE   TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION, 

CONTAIN!  N(i 

THK    UNIVKHSAI.  TlIKoLOGY   OF  THK   NKW  CIlURCn,  FORETOLD   BY  TIIK 

L(RI)    IN    THK    APOCAI.VPSF,    XXI.    1,   2;    WITH   TIIF. 

O>R0NIS.  AND  A  COPIOUS  INDKX. 

One    vol.    8vo.,    pp.    982.      Price.   ^1.10. 

This  volume  contains  a  summary  of  all  the  principal  docti'ines  of  the 
New  Church,  signified  by  the  New  Jerusalem  in  the  Apocalypse.     It  ia  di-    : 

[SKK   BKCK    OI    VOIVMK.] 

2 
-FORa  EXCH  A  Ni  u  E . 


^/  3 


LECTURES 


ON  THE 


NEW   DISPENSATION, 


CALLED 


THE  NEW  JERUSALEM. 


B  Y  B.  F.  BARRETT. 


True  doctnne  is  like  a  lantern  in  the  dark,  and  like  a  guide  po.t  in  tlie  ways. 

SWEOKNBORG. 


FIFTH   THOUSAND. 


NEW    YORK: 

PUBLISHED   BY   THE   MICHIGAN   AND   NORTHERN  INDIANA    ASSOCIATION 

OP   THE   NEW   CHURCH. 
FOR  SALE  BY 
E.     MENDEVHALL,      WALNUT     ST.,     CIxNCINNATI ;      OTIS     CLAPP,     23     SCHOOL     ST., 
BOSTON  ;     WILLIAM    MC  GEORGE,    47    BIBLE    HOUSE,    NEW   YORK 

1  855. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  STEREOTYPE  EDITION. 


V 


I 


? 


,i 


It  is  just  ten  years  since  these  Lectures  were  first  offered  to  the 
public  in  a  printed  form.  They  have  been  favorably  received,  and,  it 
is  thought,  have  subserved,  in  some  degree,  the  interests  of  the  Lord's 
true  Church  on  earth.  For  this,  their  author  feels  a  sincere  and 
devout  gratitude  ;  and  the  best  acknowledgment  which  he  knows  how 
to  render  to  his  Divine  Master  for  the  blessing  with  which  He  has 
been  pleased  to  crown  his  humble  labors,  is,  to  issue  this  new  edition 
of  the  work,  conscious  as  he  is  of  its  imperfections  and  deficiencies. 
He  is  the  more  encouraged  to  do  this  by  the  favorable  opinion  of  the 
usefulness  of  the  volume,  which  has  been  expressed  by  some  of  his 
brethren,  especially  by  the  "Michigan  and  Northern  Indiana  Asso- 
ciation of  the  New  Church,"  who,  at  their  annual  meeting,  Feb.  7, 
1851,  adopted  the  following  resolutions  : 

»*  Resolved,  That  this  Association  approves  and  adopts  the  proposition  of 
the  Acting  Committee  relative  to  the  stereotyping  and  printing  of  an  edition 
of  Barrett's  Lectures,  and  hereby  authorize  the  Book  Board  to  draw  upon 
the  Treasurer  for  such  sum  as  may  be  necessary  to  carry  it  into  effect. 

"  Resolvedy  That,  in  case  the  collections  by  the  Treasurer  be  sufficient  to 
warrant  the  same,  the  Book  Board  be  authorized  and  instructed  to  place 
copies  of  said  work  in  every  township  and  other  public  library  within  our 
limits." 

After  these  very  encouraging  Resolutions,  there  remained  nothing 
for  the  author  to  say  or  do,  but  to  revise  and  correct  the  Lectures  at 
the  request  of  his  brethren  in  Michigan  and  Northern  Indiana.  In 
doing  this,  he  has  added  some  new  matter  —  the  first  Lecture  being 
almost  entirely  new  —  and  omitted  some  of  the  old  ;  and  so  condensed 
the  whole  as  to  reduce  somewhat  the  size  of  the  volume.  But  while 
he  has  sought  to  retain  nothing  that  seemed  absolutely  superfluous,  he 
has  scrupulously  guarded  against  omitting  anything  which  could  add 
to  the  interest  or  value  of  the  work.  And  as  a  regard  to  use  has 
governed  him  in  all  the  corrections,  omissions,  and  additions  that  he 
has  made,  he  trusts  that  the  work  will  be  found,  on  the  whole,  more 

(m) 

281983 


,'l 


IT 


PREFACE. 


PREFACE. 


worthy  the  approbation  of  the  members  of  the  New  Church,  and  more 
serviceable  to  the  high  and  holy  cause  which  it  is  its  great  purpose  to 
promote.  The  ten  years  which  have  elapsed  since  the  publication  of 
the  first  edition,  and  during  which  period  the  author  has  been  engaged 
in  publicly  teaching  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  as  revealed 
through  Emanuel  Swedenborg,  have  served  but  to  strengthen  in  his 
mind  the  conviction  of  the  truth,  beauty,  importance,  heavenly  origin, 
and  ultimate  triumph  of  these  doctrines.  And  to  be  instrumental, 
though  in  never  so  humble  a  degree,  in  disseminating  these  beautiful 
and  heavenly  truths,  is  his  highest  ambition,  as  it  is  his  purest  delight. 

These  Lectures  lay  no  claim  to  originality.  They  contain  nothing 
which  is  not  already  well  known  to  all  who  are  familiar  with  the 
writings  of  the  Swedish  Seer.  And  as  it  was  not  for  such  persons 
that  they  were  originally  prepared,  but  for  those  who  have  little  or  no 
knowledge  of  these  writings,  so  it  is  chiefly  for  this  latter  class  that 
they  are  now  offered  in  their  present  form.  The  writer  desires  to  be 
regarded  only  as  a  medium  of  the  truth  which  they  contain.  And  if 
the  truth  has  suffered  some  obscuration  from  a  want  of  transparency 
in  the  medium,  it  may,  for  that  very  reason,  be  better  adapted  to  the 
mental  vision  of  those  for  whom  this  volume  is  more  particularly  de- 
signed ;  as  the  light  of  the  sun  may  be  better  suited  to  the  state  of 
some  eyes,  for  being  moderated  and  dimmed  by  passing  through  col- 
ored glasses.  If  these  Lectures  should  prove  useful  in  preparing  the 
minds  of  any  for  the  admission  of  clearer  and  stronger  light,  the  hopes 
of  their  author  will  be  fully  realized.  The  aim  of  the  writer  has 
been,  not  merely  to  give  his  opinion,  or  any  other  man's  speculations^ 
upon  the  subjects  here  treated  ;  but  simply  to  unfold  and  elucidate  some 
of  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  New  Church  as  revealed  in  the  theo- 
logical writings  of  Swedenborg.  And  if  this  has  been  done  in  a  style 
that  some  may  deem  ungraceful  and  homely,  he  has  no  apology  to 
offer  ;  but  would  simply  remark,  that,  in  his  opinion,  the  truths  of  the 
New  Jerusalem  are  so  grand  and  momentous,  that  they  require  not  the 
graces  of  rhetoric,  nor  any  other  human  adornments,  to  enhance  their 
beauty  or  their  power. 

No  one  of  much  elevation  of  mind,  who  looks  attentively  on  the 
present  aspect  of  the  Christian  Church,  can  fail  to  perceive  that  there 
are  "famines,  and  pestilences,  and  earthquakes,  in  divers  places." 
He  cannot  fail  to  perceive,  that  "  the  body  of  Christ "  is  rent  limb 
from  limb  with  intestine  feuds.  The  Church  is  everywhere  in  "  great 
tribulation."  On  all  sides  we  hear  of  "  wars  and  rumors  of  wars." 
Brother  betrayeth  brother  to  death,  and  the  father  the  son.  Christian 
faith  has  been  separated  from  Christian  charity,  and  brotherly  love 
nowhere  abounds.     Men  professing  the  religion  of  Christ,  are  seen  to 


I 


> 


k 


be  sensual,  selfish,  and  worldly  minded.  And  when  we  examine 
closely  the  religious  doctrines  which  are  generally  received  and 
acknowledged  as  fundamental,  we  find  them  deeply  imbued  with  that 
sensualism  which  has  maintained  its  grasp  upon  the  human  mind  ever 
since  the  Fall,  and  which  forms  the  basis  of  the  reigning  philosophy 
of  our  times.  The  consequence  of  all  this  is,  that  religion  has  nearly 
lost  its  hold  upon  the  minds  of  multitudes.  A  deep-rooted  skepticism 
is  apparent  everywhere.  And  even  among  men  professedly  religious, 
there  seems  to  be  but  little  faith  in  spiritual  things. 

But  in  this  "  Consummation  of  the  Age  "  there  appeareth  "  the  sign 
of  the  Son  of  Man  in  the  clouds."  Amidst  the  surrounding  gloom, 
"  a  light  from  heaven  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun  "  has  already 
dawned  upon  the  world.  The  Holy  City,  New  Jerusalem,  is  seen 
"  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned 
for  her  husband."  As  yet,  not  many  have  surveyed  its  length,  and 
breadth,  and  bight,  because  not  many  have  the  "  golden  reed  to 
measure  the  city."  Not  many  yet  have  seen  the  glory  of  God  that 
shines  therein,  because  there  are  not  many  who  desire  to  "  walk  in 
the  light  of  it."  "  The  light  shineth  in  darkness,  but  the  darkness 
comprehendeth  it  not."  The  Lord,  at  his  second  advent,  is  standing 
in  our  midst,  but  the  eyes  of  men  are  "  holden,  that  they  should  not 
know  Him." 

The  writings  of  the  New  Church  are  eminently  pure  and  spiritual. 
They  contain  the  truths  of  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word  which 
the  angels  receive,  and  which,  when  received  by  men,  are  calculated 
to  make  them  like  the  angels.  They  are  addressed  to  us  as  rational 
and  spiritual  beings.  They  open  to  our  view  the  spiritual  world,  and 
unfold  the  great  laws  of  spiritual  life.  And  because  the  truths  which 
are  contained  in  these  writings  are  thus  spiritual  in  their  character, 
they  are  often  called  dark  and  mystical ;  for  so  they  appear  to  those 
whose  minds  are  imbued  with  the  doctrines  of  sensuaHsm.  Spiritual 
truths  must  needs  appear  dark  and  mystical  to  persons  who  have  no 
faith  in  the  reality  of  a  spiritual  world,  and  no  love  for  spiritual  things. 
The  charge  of  mysticism,  which  is  often  brought  against  these  writings, 
is  itself  a  sufficient  commentary  upon  the  spiritual  state  of  those  who 
make  it.  "  Unto  you  (who  are  the  Lord's  true  disciples)  it  is  given  to 
know  the  mystery  of  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  but  unto  them  that  are 
without,  all  things  are  done  in  parables." 

Among  the  theological  writers  of  the  present  day,  there  are  few  of 
any  acknowledged  merit,  who  do  not  perceive  and  lament  the  desola- 
tion that  reigns  in  Zion.  Still  they  do  not  generally  see,  and  are  un- 
willing to  admit,  that  there  exists  any  necessity  for  further  revelations. 
Many  seem  to  thirst  for  purer  truth  than  is  commonly  taught,  but  they 
also  thirst  for  the  reputation  of  being  its  discoverers.  It  is  difficult  for 
them  to  receive  revealed  truth,  because  they  will  then  fail  of  that 
worldly  honor  for  which  they  pant.  "How  can  ye  believe,  who  receive 


I 


VI 


PREFACE. 


PREFACE. 


vn 


honor  one  from  another,  and  seek  not  the  honor  that  cometh  from 
God  only  ]  "  They  urge  the  necessity  of  destroying  all  creeds  and 
formularies  of  faith,  and  returning  to  the  purity  of  primitive  Chris- 
tianity. And  by  what  light  would  they  return  1  By  the  light  of  self- 
derived  intelligence — the  same  delusive  ignis  fatuus  which  has  con- 
ducted the  Church  to  her  present  "  land  of  darkness."  Vain  expecta- 
tion !  For  if  it  be  through  the  lust  and  pride  of  self-intelligence,  that 
the  sunlight  of  heaven  has  been  extinguished  in  the  Church,  can  we 
rely  on  the  same  blind  guide  to  lead  us  back  to  truth  and  duty  1  The 
mind  of  man,  in  itself,  is  opaque.  The  Divine  Mind  alone  is  lumin- 
ous— the  light  of  the  world.  Can  the  human  mind,  therefore,  unaided 
by  truth  revealed  from  Heaven,  ever  disperse  the  clouds  which  its  own 
reasonings  have  induced,  and  which  now  darken  its  sky  by  shutting 
out  the  beams  of  heaven's  own  sun  1  Never.  Besides,  the  Divine 
Providence  never  retreats.  Its  course  is  onward.  The  earth  rolls 
not  back  on  her  axis  to  find  the  morning,  nor  retrograde  in  her  orbit  to 
find  the  spring  ;  but  forward  forever.  And  as  well  might  the  silver- 
haired  man  of  eighty — blind,  palsied,  and  leprous — by  the  simple  eflfort 
of  his  will,  return  to  the  freshness  and  bloom  of  youth,  without  a  dis- 
solution of  his  material  body,  as  could  the  Church — blind  as  she  is 
from  the  accumulated  falses  of  eighteen  centuries — palsied  in  every 
limb — leprous  and  ulcerated  at  the  heart's  core — of  herself  return  to  the 
freshness  and  bloom  of  her  youth,  without  a  medicine  from  the  Great 
Physician  to  unseal  her  blind  eyes,  or  a  voice  from  the  Lord,  saying, 
"  Rise  and  walk."  She  can  never  hope  for  a  radical  cure,  without  a 
New  Dispensation  of  truth  from  Heaven. 

The  whole  history  of  God's  dealing  with  mankind  is  proof  of  this. 
When  the  Jewish  Church  was  consummated  through  falsifying  the 
Word,  and  holding  fast  the  traditions  of  men,  the  Lord  did  not  leave 
it  to  reason  its  way  back  to  the  innocence  of  Eden,  and  the  true  mean- 
ing of  Moses  and  the  Prophets  ;  but  He  made  a  New  Dispensation  of 
his  own  truth  to  men.  He  came  into  the  world,  not  to  destroy  or 
abrogate  the  law  previously  delivered,  but  rather  to  explain  its  mean- 
ing and  show  how  it  had  been  perverted.  "  I  am  not  come,"  he  eays, 
"to  destroy,  but  to  fulfill,"  for  "not  one  jot  or  title  of  the  law  shall  fail." 
He  told  the  Jews  that  they  had  misunderstood  and  falsified  the  Word. 
"  Ye  do  err,"  said  Jesus  to  the  unbelieving  Sadducees, "  no/  knowing  the 
Scriptures,  nor  the  power  of  God."  Even  so  is  it  now.  The  Lord 
has  not  left  the  Church,  in  its  blind  and  vastated  condition,  to  find  its 
way  back  to  primitive  Christianity  and  the  purity  of  the  Gospel  by 
human  reasonings  :  but  in  infinite  love  and  mercy  to  mankind,  and 
infinite  compassion  for  our  blindness.  He  has  condescended  to  make  a 
further  revelation  of  truth,  by  unfolding,  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  his 
Word,  deeper  treasures  of  wisdom  than  the  world  has  ever  dreamed 
of.  In  the  truths  of  this  revelation,  which  are  Himself  —  His  own 
divine  proceeding  beams  of  light — He  has  come  again  into  the  world 


J 


according  to  his  promise.  This  revelation  acquaints  us  with  the  true 
nature  of  divine  inspiration,  and  shows  wherein  consists  the  divinity 
of  the  Word  ;  and  that,  however  party-colored,  multiform,  and  appa- 
rently contradictory,  are  some  portions  of  it  in  the  literal  sense,  in  the 
spiritual  sense  it  is  one  and  uniform — like  the  Lord's  vesture,  woven 
without  seam  from  top  to  bottom.  It  is  this  revelation  of  the  spir- 
itual sense  of  the  Word  through  the  obscurity  or  cloud  of  the  letter, 
which  is  claimed  to  be  that  predicted  and  glorious  appearing  of  the 
Son  of  Man  "  upon  the  clouds  of  heaven." 

But  whether  those  who  examine,  will  be  able  to  acknowledge  the 
claims  of  the  New  Church,  must  ever  depend  on  the  state  of  mind  in 
which  they  undertake  the  investigation.  If  one  enter  upon  this  ex- 
amination under  the  persuasion  that  he  is  already  in  possession  of  all 
truth — who,  therefore,  regards  himself  as  spiritually  "rich  and  in- 
creased in  goods" — to  him  the  writings  of  Swedenborg  will  appear 
any  thing  but  luminous.  Regarding  his  present  views  as  an  infalli- 
ble test  of  truth,  whatever  does  not  conform  to  these  he  sets  down  as 
^^re/ore  false,  and  of  course  rejects.  His  examination  is  not  insti- 
tuted for  the  purpose  of  seeing  whether  his  present  views  be  conform- 
able to  the  truth,  but  whether  the  views  which  he  pretends  to  examine 
be  conformable  to  his  own.  Such  an  one  is  not  in  that  humble,  do- 
cile, child-like  frame  of  mind,  which  is  favorable  to  the  reception  of 
truth,  or  to  the  fair  investigation  of  any  subject.  And  before  he  can 
be  made  wiser  by  the  truths  of  the  New  Church;  or  before  he  can  see 
that  they  are  truths,  he  must  be  willing  to  become  a  fool  in  his  own 
estimation.  He  must  be  willing  to  go  and  sell  all  that  he  hath.  "Ver- 
ily I  say  unto  you,  whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as 
a  little  child,  he  shall  not  enter  therein." 

But  to  all  earnest,  humble,  independent,  sincere  seekers  after  truth, 
I  have  no  caution  to  submit.  They  are  aflfectionately  solicited  to  ex- 
amine the  writings  of  Swedenborg /or  themselves  —  seriously  —  pa- 
tiently—  prayerfully  — thoroughly.  The  New  Church  shrinks  not 
from  the  severest  investigation  of  her  doctrines.  She  is  willing  — 
nay,  she  desires  —  that  philosophy  and  science,  talent  and  learning, 
acute  penetration  and  sound  logic,  humility  and  meekness,  freedom 
and  independence  —  in  a  word,  that  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  all 
the  noblest  faculties  of  the  human  mind,  be  brought  to  the  investiga- 
tion of  her  writings.  Truth  is  its  own  witness.  It  fears  not  the 
most  searching  inquest,  but  ever  seeketh  to  be  seen  in  its  own 
resplendent  brightness. 

Much  misrepresentation  has  gone  abroad  in  respect  to  the  doctrines 
of  the  New  Church.  I  may  say  that  the  popular  impression  in  regard  to 
these  doctrines,  is  very  remote  from  the  truth.  Many  who  oppose  and 
ridicule  them,  would  find  upon  careful  examination,  that  what  they  had 
opposed  and  ridiculed,  were  not  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  but 


vm 


PREFACE. 


only  some  grotesque  caricature  of  them  —  the  creation  of  their  own 
or  of  others'  minds.  The  enemies  of  truth  have  sometimes  brought 
forward  garbled  extracts  from  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  which, 
when  taken  out  from  their  proper  connection,  cannot  be  rightly  under- 
stood ;  and  which  have  doubtless  been  the  occasion  of  prejudicing  the 
minds  of  some  innocent  and  well-disposed  persons  against  the  New 
Church.  But  honest  people  must  see  that  such  a  course  is  extremely 
unfair.  Stone,  and  mortar,  and  rough  lath-boards,  may  be  indispens- 
able in  building  a  royal  mansion  ;  but  neither  of  these  could  be  con- 
sidered a  very  fair  specimen  of  the  king's  palace.  And  before  one  allows 
a  prejudice  to  enter  his  mind  against  the  writings  of  the  New  Church,  on 
account  of  some  extracts  that  may  have  offended  him,  he  would  do 
well  to  consider  what  may  be,  and  what  indeed  has  been,  done  in 
regard  to  the  Sacred  Scripture.  The  sneering  infidel  has  collected 
passages  from  the  Word,  which,  when  misunderstood,  or  understood 
in  their  strictly  literal  sense,  appear  trivial,  obscene,  irrational,  and 
altogether  unworthy  the  Divine  Mind.  And  would  it  be  fair  to  judge 
the  Sacred  Volume  by  these  garbled  extracts  misunderstood  ?  If  so, 
the  argument  of  the  infidel  were  indeed  triumphant.  Yet,  (strange  to 
say  !)  this  is  precisely  what  some  professing  Christians  allow  them- 
selves to  do  in  regard  to  the  writings  of  the  New  Church. 

If  the  doctrines  revealed  through  Swedenborg  be  true,  then,  cer- 
tainly, they  are  of  paramount  importance.  And  if  there  be  even  a 
possibility  of  their  being  true,  then  they  deserve  a  thorough  examina- 
tion. Multitudes  of  deep-thinking  men  —  and  among  them  some  of 
the  purest  and  best  minds  of  the  age  —  after  giving  them  such  an 
examination,  have  with  one  voice  declared,  "  One  thing  we  know,  that, 
whereas  we  were  blind,  now  we  see."  The  strongest  evidence  that  these 
doctrines  are  all  true  and  from  heaven,  is,  after  all,  to  be  found  in  their 
purifying  and  regenerating  power;  in  the  searching  influence  which 
they  exercise  over  the  heart  ;  in  their  efficacy  as  experienced  in  the 
renewal  of  the  inner  life  ;  in  the  sweet,  gentle,  heavenly  peace  which 
they  diffuse  through  all  the  chambers  of  the  soul.  They  explore  the 
hidden  recesses  of  the  mind,  they  unveil  the  latent  springs  of  action 
and  reveal  to  us  the  evil  quality  of  our  hearts  with  amazing  clearness; 
and  at  the  same  time  they  teach  us  how  to  get  rid  of  our  evils,  as  we 
had  never  been  taught  before.  Could  these  doctrines  do  this — could 
they  open  the  eyes  of  the  spiritually  blind  —  could  they  unstop  the 
ears  of  the  spiritually  deaf — could  they  make  the  lame  walk,  the 
leprous  clean,  and  raise  to  newness  of  life  the  spiritually  dead,  if  they 
were  from  hell  1     "  Can  a  devil  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind  ]" 

This  New  Revelation  comes  to  men  without  the  attestation  of  out- 
ward miracles.  It  addresses  them  as  beings  possessing  a  rational 
faculty,  and  capable,  therefore,  of  judging  between  truth  and  false- 
hood, without  any  external*  signs  to  force  belief.      It  comes  a  great 


PREFACE. 


IX 


light  from  Heaven,  manifesting  the  internal  quality  of  the  Church 
and  the  world.  It  sits  in  judgment  upon  all  forms  of  religious  error. 
It  prostrates  all  idols  of  silver  and  gold,  the  work  of  men's  hands.  It 
strips  off  the  feeble  disguises  of  mere  form,  parade,  and  external  sanc- 
tity, and  lays  bare  the  interior,  ruling  loves  of  men.  Yet  it  cometh 
"  not  to  condemn  the  world,"  but  that  the  world  through  its  agency 
may  be  saved — saved  from  the  evil  loves  and  false  persuasions  which 

enslave  the  human  soul. 

And  as  the  field  of  true  science  enlarges— as  thought  becomes  more 
free — as  inquiry  upon  all  subjects  becomes  more  bold  and  searching — 
a  voice,  louder  and  still  louder,  comes  up  from  the  thinking  men  of 
Christendom,  calling  for  rationality  in  religion  as  well  as  in  every 
thing  else  ; — calling  for  such  principles  of  biblical  interpretation,  as 
shaUshow  the  Scripture  to  be  indeed  the  Word  of  God.  And  no 
where  but  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church,  will  it  be  found  that 
this  call  is  fully  answered. 

Nearly  one  hundred  years  have  already  elapsed  since  Swedenborg  ♦ 
began  to  write.  And  although  the  world  has  ever  since  been  rapidly 
advancing  in  knowledge,  yet  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  his  writings 
were  never  so  much  sought  after,  nor  so  extensively  circulated  and 
read,  both  in  our  own  country  and  in  Europe,  as  at  the  present  time. 
New  editions  of  his  works  are  in  constant  progress  of  publication,  to 
satisfy  the  continually  increasing  demand  for  them.  Not  a  few  men 
of  reputed  piety  and  learning  are  known  to  read  them  extensively, 
and  to  take  from  them  (generally  without  any  acknowledgment  of 
their  source)  the  very  truths  which  gain  for  them  their  chief  glory. 
Here  then  is  a  problem  not  easy  of  solution,  if  the  writings  of  Swe- 
denborg be  the  offspring  either  of  imposture  or  delusion. 

That  this  volume  of  Lectures  may  be  instrumental  in  leading  some 
minds  to  a  careful  perusal  of  these  writings,  and  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  may  open  their  eyes  to  see,  and  their  hearts  to  acknowledge, 
Him,  in  the  glorious  truths  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  is  the  sincere  and 
earnest  prayer  of  their  author. 


B.  F.  B. 


Cincinnati,  January  28, 1852. 


1 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

Introductory  Remarks,  with  a  sketch  of  the  Life,  Writings,  and 

Character  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg, 3 

The  "  End  of  the  World,"  or  Consummation  of  the  Age,  ....  32 

The  Second  Coming  of  the  Lord, 61 

The  Sacred  Scripture — Necessity  of  admitting  a  Spiritual  Sense,  81 

The  Sacred  Scripture — Proofs  of  the  existence  of  a  Spiritual  Sense,  106 

The  Sacred   Scripture  —  Science   of  Correspondences,  the   true 

Key  to  the  Spiritual  Sense, 131 

The  Sacred  Scripture  —  Key  to  the  Spiritual  Sense  applied,  and 

its  importance  exemplified, 169 

The  Trinity,  and  true  Object  ©f  Religious  Worship, 186 

The  Glorification  of  the  Son  of  Man,  involving  the  true  Doc- 
trine of  the  Atonement  and  Regeneration,  216 

The  Resurrection,  with  a  brief  view  of  the  Spiritual  World,.    .     246 

Swedenborg's  intromission  into  the  Spiritual  World  —  its   pos- 
sibility proved  from  the  Scripture, 284 

Swedenborg's  intercourse  with  the  Spiritual  World,  and  his  Mem- 
orabilia,   304 


EXPLANATION  OF  REFERENCES. 


The  Works  of  Swedenborg  quoted  in  the  following  pages  are  : 
A.  C,      which  stand  for    Arcana  Coelestia. 


II 


Ap.  Ex., 
A.  R., 
T.  C  R., 

XI.  ri., 

D.  S.  S., 
D.  L.  W.,  « 
D.  L., 


(( 


(( 


it 


(t 


(S 


it 


ti 


cc 


« 


it 


(t 


(( 


(( 


€t 


Apocalypse  Explained. 

Apocalypse  Revealed. 

True  Christian  Religion. 

Conjugial  Love. 

Heaven  and  Hell. 

Doctrine  Concerning  the  Sacred  Scripture. 

Divine  Love  and  Wisdom. 

Doctrine  of  the  Lord. 


A.  C.  James,  Stereotyper,  Cincinnati. 


DOCTRINES 


OF    THE 


NEW    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH. 


LECTURE   I. 


INTRODUCTORr   REMARKS WITH   A    SKETCH    OF    THE   LIFE,  WRITINGS, 

AND    CHARACTER    OF   EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG. 

«« A  man  sent  of  God." — Johrtf  i.  6. 

This  earth  of  herself  is  cold  and  dark.  All  the  warmth  and 
light  she  has,  come  down  from  the  beneficent  sun,  without  whose 
quickening  beams  not  a  blade  of  grass  could  grow  and  not  a  crea- 
ture draw  the  breath  of  life.  Wherever  she  turns  her  face  direct 
towards  this  bountiful  giver  of  light  and  heat,  she  receives  there- 
from an  expression  of  activity  and  joy;  life  circulates  through 
every  vein,  and  her  smiles  of  beauty  are  reflected  in  ten  thousand 
forms.  But  where  her  face  is  turned  away  from  the  great  orb  of 
day,  there  the  shades  of  darkness  brood— there  cease  the  pulsa- 
tion's of  life,  and  nought  but  sadness  and  gloom  overspread  her  ice- 
bound surface. 

Thus  it  is  with  man.  Of  himself  he  hath  neither  goodness  nor 
truth,  love  nor  wisdom.  All  that  he  receives  of  these  comes  down 
to  him  from  the  beneficent  Lord  of  life,  who  is  Love  itself  and 
Wisdom  itself,  and  the  only  source  of  goodness  and  truth  to  men. 
The  most  ancient  men  of  our  earth  perceived  this,  and  from  the 
heart  acknowledged  it.  And  so  long  as  they  thus  kept  their 
faces  turned  towards  the  Lord,  the  only  Fountain  of  life  and  light 
to  their  minds,  and  remained  in  the  inward  acknowledgment  that 
all  their  love  and  wisdom  were  derived  from  Him  alone,  fife,  love 
and  joy  circulated  through  every  avenue  of  their  souls  ;  the  har- 
mony and  peace  of  heaven  reigned  within;  fragrant  thoughts  and 
pure  affections  sprang  up,  and  grew  and  blossomed  spontaneously; 
and  the  minds  of  men  were  as  the  garden  of  Eden,  the  paradise  of 
.3 


\ 


4  EMANUEL    SWEDENBOKO. 

God.  The  truth  needed  no  other  witness  than  her  own  resplen- 
dent brightness,  because  men  had  eyes  to  see.  They  were  in  love 
with  all  that  is  good,  and  therefore  they  could  perceive  all  that  is 
true  ;  for  goodness  and  truth  are  always  in  agreement.  Man  was 
then  a  living  soul,  created  in  the  image  and  likeness  of  God  ;  for 
the  truly  human  principles  of  love  to  the  Lord  and  charity  towards 
the  neighbor,  had  then  absolute  dominion  over  all  the  inferior  prin- 
ciples of  his  mind  —  '*  over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl 
of  the  air,  and  over  the  cattle,  and  over  all  the  earth,  and  over 
every  creeping  thing  that  creepeth  upon  the  earth.*' 

But  when  man  began  to  turn  his  face  away  from  the  Lord,  and 
to  cease  acknowledging  Him  as  the  Fountain  of  all  the  wisdom 
and  intelligence  of  angels  and  men,  and  began  to  regard  himself 
as  the  source  of  goodness  and  truth,  then  the  heavenly  order  of 
his  mind  began  to  be  inverted,  and  the  light  that  was  in  him  to  be 
changed  to  darkness.  And  the  more  he  continued  to  love  him- 
self, and  to  regard  his  wisdom  as  his  own  and  originating  in  himself, 
so  much  the  more  did  he  turn  his  face  away  from  the  light  of  the 
Sun  of  heaven,  to  the  darkness  of  self-derived  intelligence  ;  until 
at  last  his  primitive  state  became  completely  inverted.  His  affec- 
tions, which  were  originally  directed  towards  the  Lord  and  the 
things  of  heaven,  became  withdrawn  from  these  and  turned  to- 
ward self  and  the  world.  And  when  in  this  manner  he  came  to 
regard  himself  as  God,  knowing  good  and  evil,  then  the  heavens 
became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair ;  for  he  had  extinguished  in  his 
mind  the  only  true  light,  and  liis  affections  became  fast  bound  in 
the  frosts  of  selfishness. 

Thus  did  man's  blooming  paradise  become  transformed  into  a 
desert.  Thus  did  his  aflections  and  thoughts,  which  once  bore  the 
freshness  and  fragrance  of  heaven,  lose  their  life  and  perfume 
when  deprived  of  the  blessed  beams  of  heaven's  own  Sun.  And 
thus  was  man  driven  out  from  the  garden  of  Eden,  where  the  Lord 
God  placed  him  and  caused  to  grow  every  tree  that  is  pleasant  to 
the  sight  and  good  for  food.  This  was  the  Fall  —  the  fall  of  man ; 
a  fall  from  his  primitive  and  exalted  state  of  innocence,  simplicity, 
truth  and  love. 

It  is  because  of  this  inverted  state  of  man's  affections  —  because 
the  image  and  likeness  of  God  in  human  breasts  has  been  thus 
marred,  that  genuine  truth  has  now  so  few  attractions,  and 
appears  so  unlovely  to  the  world.  Because  man  has  fallen  from 
his  original  state  of  supreme  love  to  the  Lord,  into  an  infernal  state 


I.' 


EMANUEL   SWEDENBORG.  5 

of  self-love,  therefore  truth  has  no  beauty  or  attractions  for  him, 
for  it  is  not  in  agreement  with  his  perverted  affections ;  therefore 
it  is,  and  has  ever  been,  since  the  Fall,  despised  and  rejected  of 
men,  having  no  form  nor  comeliness  to  the  natural  mind,  and  when 
it  is  seen,  "  there  is  no  beauty  that  it  should  be  desired."  Hence 
it  is  that  every  ray  of  truth  which  has  been  sent  from  heaven  to 
bless  mankind  —  to  enlighten  and  guide  men  out  of  their  fallen 
state  —  has  gained  admittance  into  the  world  only  by  a  persevering 
and  often  painful  and  protracted  contest.  It  has  often  had  to  fight 
its  way  through  racks  and  faggots  —  through  dungeons  and  chains. 
The  Lord's  prophets  have  been  stoned  and  spit  upon.  The  noblest 
messengers  of  truth  to  man  have  been  treated  with  scorn  and  con- 
tumely. And  when  He  who  is  the  Light  of  the  world  —  the  very 
Truth  itself —  became  flesh  and  dwelt  among  men.  He  was  des- 
pised and  rejected,  and  at  last  killed  as  a  malefactor.  And  when 
He  performed  deeds  that  no  other  man  could  do,  and  spake  as 
never  man  spake,  it  was  said  of  Him,  **  He  hath  a  devil  and  is 
mad,  why  hear  ye  Him  ?  "  Yes  —  so  lost  were  men  to  truth  and 
love,  so  perverted  were  the  principles  of  humanity  in  their  breasts, 
that,  when  their  original,  divine  Archetype  appeared,  they  knew 
Him  not,  and  put  him  to  an  ignominious  death. 

But  Truth  itself  —  absolute  Truth  can  never  die.  In  the  lan- 
guage of  a  distinguished  German  author,  ''It  is  eternal,  like  the 
infinitely  wise  and  gracious  God.  Men  may  disregard  it  for  a  time, 
until  the  period  arrives  when  its  rays,  according  to  the  determina- 
tion of  Heaven,  shall  irresistibly  break  through  the  mists  of  preju- 
dice, and,  like  Aurora  and  the  opening  day,  shed  a  beneficent  light 
clear  and  unextinguishable  over  the  generations  of  men."* 

Looking,  therefore,  at  the  present  and  past  state  of  the  world, 
and  seeing  how  it  has  fared  with  truth  generally  at  its  first  unfolding, 
and  with  every  new  dispensation  of  truth  in  particular,  we  ought  not 
to  be  surprised  that  the  New  Dispensation  of  truth  which  has  been 
made  to  the  world  through  that  distinguished  servant  of  the  Lord, 
Emanuel  Swedenborg,  is  not  suddenly  embraced,  nor  at  once  seen 
to  be  truth.  We  ought  not  to  be  surprised,  but  rather  to  expect, 
that  the  pure  truths  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  since  they  are  opposed 
to  the  impurity  of  men's  natural  loves,  will  meet  with  opposition, 
misrepresentation,  scorn  and  contempt.  Such  is  the  present  state 
of  what  is  called  the  Christian  world,  that  it  is  to  be  expected  men 

*  Organon  of  Homoeopathic  Medicine,  by  Samuel  Hahnemann,  p.  44. 


6 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG. 


will  sit  in  judgment  on  these  truths,  who  know  little  or  noth- 
ing about  them ;  and  that  base  fabrications  and  false  statements 
with  regard  to  them,  will  be  circulated  by  persons  who  may  think, 
as  Paul  thought,  when  engaged  in  hauling  Christian  men  and 
women  to  prison,  that  they  are  doing  God  service. 

But  the  ignorance,  bigotry,  and  wholesale  abuse,  which    are 
among  the  characteristics  of  an  unthinking  and  frivolous  age,  are 
fast  disappearing  before  the  dawning  light  of  a  better  era.     Within 
the  last   half  century  a  spirit  of  free  and   fearless   inquiry  into 
everything   has    been  strikingly  manifest;    and    rigid    investiga- 
tion and   severe  analysis  are  everywhere    beginning  to  take  the 
place  of  crude  conjecture  and    groundless   assertion.     **  If  evei 
there  were  a  period,  (says  a  late  English  author,)  in  which  the 
members  of  the  Christian  church  were  called  upon  *  to  believe 
not  every  spirit,  but  to  try  the  spirits,  whether  they  be  of  God, 
*  to  prove  all  things  and  to  hold  fast  that  which  is  good,'  the  pres 
ent  assuredly  is  one.     The  disposition  to  inquiry  that  has  been 
awakened,  the  spread  of  education,  the  increasing  desire  of  knowl- 
edge, and  the  extraordinary  progress  of   the  sciences,  however 
sometimes  exaggerated,  have  been  sufficient  to  lead  many  sober  and 
reflecting  minds  to  contemplate,  as  not  improbable,  a  new  aspect 
in  the  history  of  the  world  ;    and  when  we  connect  these  circum- 
stances with  the  disregard  of  human  authority  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, the  asserted  right  of  private  judgment,  the  conflicting  views 
which  are  entertained  even  upon  the  most  important  principles  of 
Christianity,  it  will  be  granted,  I  presume,  that,  if  ever  learning, 
sound  judgment,  piety  and  diligence  were  required  in  the  clergy, 
they  are  assuredly  most  requisite  now.     When  to  this  we  add, 
that  among  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Christian  community, 
there  prevails  a  variety  of  expectations  with  respect  to  prophe- 
cies in  Scripture,  the  fulfillment  of  which  many  believe  to  be  not 
far  distant,  there  is,  assuredly,  the  more  particular  reason,  why 
the  Christian  community  should  be  on  its  guard,  lest  any  enthu- 
siast should  avail  himself  of  these  expectations,  and  delude  both 
himself  and  his  followers ;  more  especially  as,  under  the  circum- 
stances we    have  mentioned,   the    probability  is  that  enthusiasts 
would  arise,  and  that  many,  consequently,  would  be  deluded.     It 
is  remarkable  that  the  introduction  of  new  dispensations  by  the 
Almighty  seems,  in  general,  to  have  given  occasion  for  opposite 
and    rival  claims  to  the  truth.      When  Moses  wrought  miracles 
before  Pharoah,  counter  miracles  were  said  to  be  wrought  by  the 


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EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG.  7 

Mao-i.  When  Christ  cast  out  devils  from  the  possessed,  similar 
claims  to  miraculous  power  were  asserted  to  exist  among  the  Phar- 
isees. When  Christ  assumed  the  character  of  King  of  the  Jews, 
rival  pretensions  were  made  by  others.  **  Before  these  days  rose 
up  Theudas,  boasting  himself  to  be  somebody,  to  whom  a  num- 
ber of  men,  about  four  hundred,  joined  themselves,  who  were  slain; 
and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  scattered  and  brought  to 
nought.  After  this  man  rose  up  Judas  of  Galilee,  in  the  days  of 
the  taxing,  and  drew  away  much  people  after  him:  he  also  perished, 
and  all,  as  many  as  obeyed  him,  were  dispersed."— (Acts  v.  36.) 
At  the  second  coming  of  Christ  into  the  world,  we  are  told,  it 
should  be  the  same ;  ''  for  there  shall  arise  false  Christs  and  false 
prophets,  and  shall  shew  great  signs  and  wonders,  insomuch  that 
if  it  were  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect.' '—(Mat.  xxiv. 
22.)  Thus  at  the  end  of  the  old  and  the  beginning  of  new  dis- 
pensations, arise  false  and  true  prophets  in  every  direction ;  whence 
pretensions  of  both  kinds  become  so  mixed  up  one  with  the  other, 
that,  unless  possessed  of  a  clear  spiritual  discernment,  a  person  runs 
the  risk  of  receiving  the  false  as  the  true,  or  the  true  as  the  false, 
or  of  rejecting  indiscriminately  both  together;  and  so  in  order  to 
avoid  the  snare  of  enthusiasm,  of  falling  into  the  pit  of  infidelity."— 
(  Clissdd's  Letter  to  the  Archbishop  of  Dublin,) 

Although  the  truths  of  the  New  Jerusalem  are  of  such  a  char- 
acter, thatl  when  rationally  received,  they  are  their  own  witness, 
testifying  whence  they  came  and  whither  they  conduct,  still  it  is 
natural  for  those  who  are  yet  unacquainted  with  them,  to  desire 
some  knowledge  of  the  life  and  character  of  Emanuel  Sweden- 
BORG,  who  was  the  divinely  appointed  human  agent  in  communi- 
cating these  truths  to  mankind.  And  since  this  desire  is  lawful  as 
it  is  natural,  I  shall  devote  the  remainder  of  the  present  lecture  to 
a  brief  notice  of  this  great  and  truly  extraordinary  man. 

The  world  is  fast  coming  to  acknowledge  that  Swedenborg  was,  in- 
deed, an  extraordinary  man.  *'  Time,"  says  a  writer  in  one  of  our 
ablest  American  periodicals,  (The  Southern  Quarterly  Review  for 
October,  1846,)  '*  is  beginning  to  pass  a  just  judgment  on  the  char- 
acter of  that  extraordinary  man,  Emanuel  Swedenborg,— certainly 
one  of  the  most  gifted  geniuses  that  ever  appeared  on  the  face  of 
the  earth.  Seventy-four  years  have  elapsed  since  his  death.  This 
period  has  constituted  the  mere  sunrise  of  his  fame  —  the  dawn 
of  a  meridian  splendor  that  is  yet  to  bless  the  nations.  The  fame 
of  Bacon,  Newton,  and  Locke  — of  Milton,  and  Shakspeare,  and 


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Scott,  pales  and  grows  dim  before  the  brighter  glory  that  clus- 
ters around  the  name  and  acts  of  this  renowned  individual.  They 
acquired  distinction  for  the  splendor  of  their  success  in  particular 
departments  of  inquiry,  and  in  certain  spheres  of  intellectual  la- 
bor ;  but  it  was  reserved  for  the  more  fortunate  and  celebrated 
Swede  to  master,  not  one  science,  but  the  whole  circle  of  arts  and 
sciences,  and  to  understand  and  reveal  the  great  connecting  links 
that  subsist  between  mind  and  matter,  time  and  eternity,  man  and 
his  Maker,  in  a  far  clearer  manner  than  any  of  the  most  gifted  and 
inspired  of  his  predecessors." 

The  childhood  and  youth  of  eminent  men  are  usually  among  the 
most  interesting  portions  of  their  lives.  Unhappily  for  us,  the  ma- 
terials for  this  period  of  Swedenborg's  history  are  very  meagre. 
The  most  that  we  are  able  to  gather,  is,  that  he  was  born  in  Stock- 
holm, Sweden,  January  29,  1688.  His  father,  Jasper  Swedberg, 
was  bishop  of  Skara  in  West  Gothland,  and  is  described  as  a  tal- 
ented, learned,  and  eminently  pious  man,  and  of  an  amiable  pri- 
vate character.  Few  men  ever  entertained  a  more  profound  reve- 
rence than  he,  for  God,  the  Holy  Scripture,  the  Christian  Sabbath, 
and  all  the  institutions  and  ordinances  of  religion.  He  even  went 
to  the  Bible  for  directions  in  regard  to  naming  his  children  ;  and 
not  Unding  there  **  a  single  example,"  as  he  says,  ''  in  which  chil- 
dren have  received  the  names  of  their  parents  or  forefathers,"  he 
scrupulously  avoided  giving  his  own  children  family  names.  Nor 
would  he  give  them  heathenish  or  unmeaning  names,  but  names 
from  the  Bible,  and  such  as  seemed  likely  to  awaken  in  them  pious 
thoughts  and  feelings.  *' I  have  the  full  conviction,"  says  he, 
"that  only  such  names  should  be  given  to  children  as  awaken  the 
fear  of  God  in  them,  and  keep  them  mindful  of  propriety  and  vir- 
tue." And  when  Emanuel  was  about  forty  years  of  age,  the  good 
old  bishop,  contemplating  his  son^s  pious  and  useful  life,  writes 

thus : 

"  Emanuel,  my  son's  name,  signifies  '  God  with  us ' —  a  name  which 
should  constantly  remind  him  of  the  nearness  of  God,  and  of  that 
interior,  holy,  and  mysterious  connection,  in  which,  through  faith,  we 
stand  with  our  good  and  gracious  God.  And  blessed  be  the  Lord's 
name!  God  has  to  this  hour  indeed  been  with  him;  and  may  God  be 
further  with  him,  until  he  is  eternally  united  with  him  in  His  kingdom.'^ 

The  bishop's  views  of  education  were  greatly  in  advance  of 
those  of  his  own  times.  He  believed  that  every  man  is  endowed 
by  the  Creator  with  certain  capacities  which  fit   him   for  some 


r»articular  employment,  and  that  it  is  the  wisdom  of  parents  not  to 
strive  to  counteract  the  designs  of  Providence  —  not  to  endeavor 
to  make  their  sons  lawyers,  doctors  or  ministers,  when  possibly  the 
Creator  intended  them  for  quite  a  different  sphere  of  use,— but 
rather  to  watch  the  native  tendencies  of  their  children's  mmds, 
and  to  allow  and  encourage  them  to  pursue  that  particular  occupa- 
tion for  which  they  seem  to  have  been  created.     Accordingly  he 
says  :  ''  I  have  kept  my  sons  to  that  [profession]  to  which  God  has 
given  them  inclination  and  liking  ;  and  I  have  not  brought  up  one 
to  the  clerical  office,  althoughmany  parents  do  this  inconsiderately, 
and  in  a  manner  not  justifiable,  by  which  the  Church,  and  also  the 
clerical  [order]  suffer  not  a  little,  and  are  brought  into  contempt." 
Thus  was  Swedenborg  born  and  nurtured  under  the  most  aus- 
picious influences.     He  inherited  talents  of  the  first  order—  an 
excellent  memory,  keen  perceptions,  and  a  most  clear  judgment 
The  greatest  care  is  said  to  have  been  bestowed  on  his  early  edu- 
cation.    His  youth  was  marked  by  uncommon  assiduity  and  per- 
severance in  the  study  of  philosophy,  mathematics,  natural  history, 
chemistry  and  anatomy,  together  with  the  ancient  and  modem 
languages.     And  the  moral  influences  that  surrounded  him  were 
of  the  benignest  character.     He  was  cradled  in  a  sphere  of  heav- 
enly love  and  wisdom.     His  earliest  lessons  were  lessons  of  piety 
and  virtue.     The  very  atmosphere  which  he  breathed  from  his 
infancy  was  the  atmosphere  of  religion.     And  so  encompassed  was 
he  with  heavenly  influences  from  his  birth,  that  it  seemed  as  if  the 
angels  talked  to  him  and  were  his  companions  while  yet  a  child 
Writing  on  one  occasion  to  a  friend  who  inquired  of  him  what  had 
passed  in  the  earlier  part  of  his  hfe,he  says: 

«  From  my  fourth  to  my  tenth  year  my  thoughts  were  constantly 
engrossed  by  reflecting  upon  God,  on  salvation,  and  on  the  spiritual 
aff-ections  of  man.  I  often  revealed  things  in  my  discourse  which  filled 
my  parents  with  astonishment,  and  made  them  declare  at  times  that 
certainly  the  angels  spoke  through  my  mouth.  From  my  sixth  to  my 
twelfth  year,  it  was  my  greatest  delight  to  converse  with  the  clergy 
concerning  faith;  to  whom  I  often  observed,  that  charity  or  love  was 
the  life  of  faith,  and  that  this  vivifying  charity  or  love  was  no  other 
than  the  love  of  one's  neighbor  ;  that  God  vouchsafes  this  faith  to 
every  one,  but  that  it  is  adopted  by  those  only  who  practice  that 
charity." 

In  early  life,  Swedenborg's  mind  was  preserved  in  a  remarkable 
degree  from  false  theological  doctrines,  and  from  the  trammeling 


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EMANUEL  SWEDENBORO. 


11 


influence  of  the  commentaries  and  biblical  criticisms  in  use  at  that 
period.  And  those  who  are  acquainted  with  the  principles  of 
spiritual  interpretation  which  he  was  made  the  instrument  in 
unfolding,  will  readily  perceive  the  great  importance  of  this,  and  the 
disadvantage  it  would  have  been  to  him  if  his  mind  had  been  early 
imbued  with  the  dogmas  of  the  church  in  which  he  was  born. 
The  following  is  what  he  himself  says  upon  this  subject : 

"  I  was  prohibited  reading  dogmatic  and  systematic  theology  before 
heaven  was  opened  to  me,  by  reason  that  unfounded  opinions  and 
inventions  might  thereby  have  insinuated  themselves,  which,  with  diffi- 
culty could  afterward  have  been  extirpated.  Wherefore,  when  heaven 
was  opened  to  me,  it  was  necessary  first  to  learn  the  Hebrew  language, 
as  well  as  the  correspondences  of  which  the  whole  Bible  is  composed, 
which  led  me  to  read  the  Word  of  God  over  many  times.  And,  inas- 
much as  the  Word  is  the  source  whence  all  theology  must  be  derived, 
I  was  thereby  enabled  to  receive  instruction  from  the  Lord  who  is  the 
Word." 

Swedenborg  was  educated  at  the  university  of  Upsal  in  Swe- 
den, where  he  pursued  with  distinguished  honor  and  success  the 
learned  languages,  mathematics  and  natural  philosophy,  which 
were  his  favorite  studies ;  and  where  also  he  graduated,  receiving 
the  degree  of  doctor  of  philosophy  at  the  age  of  twenty-two.  Hav- 
ing now  fairly  entered  the  path  to  useful  and  extensive  learning, 
with  an  ardent  thirst  for,  and  with  vmsurpassed  powers  of  acquiring, 
knowledge,  he  advanced  with  a  speed  and  success  rarely  if  ever 
equaled. 

The  first  few  years  after  leaving  the  university  were  spent  in 
travels  in  England,  Holland,  France  and  Germany.  During  his 
absence  he  visited  the  principal  universities  of  these  countries,  and 
his  mind  was  constantly  occupied  in  treasuring  up  useful  knowl- 
edge. In  1714  we  find  him  again  in  Sweden  ;  and  in  two  years 
after,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight,  he  was  appointed  by  Charles 
XII,  Assessor  Extraordinary  in  the  Royal  Metallic  College.  The 
appointment  to  this  office,  which  was  one  of  the  most  important  in 
the  kingdom  of  Sweden,  is  evidence  of  Swedenborg's  singular 
and  unequaled  merits  at  this  early  age,  and  of  the  king's  high  con- 
sideration and  confidence.  Being  anxious  to  prosecute  his  scien- 
tific researches  for  a  time  longer,  and  especially  to  perfect  himself 
in  the  science  of  metallurgy,  he  did  not  enter  on  the  actual  duties 
of  Assessor  until  six  years  after  his  appointment,  most  of  which 
time  was  spent  in  various  universities  and  in  journeys  to  different 


J 


parts  of  Europe,  to  examine  the  principal    mines  and   ^^^eltmg 
^orks  -  so  anxious  was  he  to  discharge  in  the  most  faithful  and 
perfect  manner  the  duties  of  every  station.     The  diploma  appomt- 
ino-  him  to  this  office,  states,  -  that  the  king  had  a  particular  re- 
cra°rd  to  the  knowledge  possessed  by  Swedenborg  in  the  science  of 
mechanics,  and  that  his  pleasure  was  that  he  should  accompany 
and  assist  Polheim  in  constructing  his  mechanical  works."     He 
remained  in  the  office  of  Assessor  of  the  Metallic  College  until 
1747   when  he  resigned  it  on  account  of  other  more  important 
dutiel,  which  claimed  his  attention.     -  My  sole  view,''  he  says,  -m 
this  resignation,  was,  that  I  might  be  more  at  liberty  to  devote 
myself  to  that  new  function  to  which  the  Lord   had  called  me. 
On  resigning  my  office,  a  higher  degree  of  rank  was  oflfered  me  ; 
but  this    I    utterly  declined,  lest    it   should    be  the  occasion  of 

inspiring  me  with  pride."  ,       ^        r  k 

In  1718,  two  years  after  his  appointment  to  the  office  ot  Asses- 
sor he  gave  to  the  world  the  first  fruits  of  his  inventh^e  genius 
and    great  abilities  in  a  work  called    -Daedalus  Hyperboreus,'' 
consistino-  of   essays  and    observations  on  the  mathematical  and 
physical  "sciences.     And  now  he  commences  a  philosophical  career, 
the  grandeur  and  extent  of  which  is  but  just  beginnmg  to  be  ap- 
preciated by  some  of  the  learned  and  scientific  men  of  our  own 
times.     He  had  a  perfect  passion  for  philosophical  pursuits.     He 
had  fallen  in  love  with  the  sciences,  and   he  wooed  them  in  so 
comely  and  engaging  a  manner,  that  they  all  came  to  him  like  a 
troop  of  virgins  and  cUsped  their  arms  lovingly  around  his  neck. 
His  mind  was  a  great  artesian  well,  from  which  the  truths  of  sci- 
ence came  gushing  up  in  a  constant,  fresh  and  living  stream   for 
nearly  thirty  years.     We  are  absolutely  amazed  at  the  huge  heap 
which  this  man  wrote  upon  philosophical  subjects  ;  and  still  more 
amazed  are  we  at  the  variety  of  subjects  treated  by  him,  and  at 
the  extensive  learning,  the  varied  and  accurate  scientific  knowl- 
edge the  deep  and  comprehensive  wisdom,  the  microscopic  and 
telescopic  reach  of  thought,  the  keen  penetration  and    profound 
philosophical  acumen  indicated  in  the  masterly  manner  m  which 
he  handled  whatever  he  undertook.     Not  a  department  of  natural 
science  did  he  leave  untouched.     Earth,  air,  water,  fire,  the  am- 
mal  kingdom,  and  especially  the  human  body,  were  each  and  all 
interrogated  by  him,  and  their  hidden  mysteries  explored  with  an 
acuteness  and  penetration  unequaled    by  any  other  philosopher 
before  or  since  his  time.    No  man  ever  questioned  nature  so  clearly, 


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and  withal  so  lovingly  as  he.  No  wonder  she  could  not  resist 
the  importunities  of  such  a  suiter.  How  could  she  help  answer- 
ing his  questions  ?  Nor  was  he  a  man  to  do  his  work  by  the 
halves.  He  went  throufrh  with  whatever  investio^ations  he  under- 
took.  He  persevered,  until  his  penetrating  and  comprehensive 
intellect  became  more  or  less  conversant  with  nearly  every  subject 
within  the  wide  range  of  human  inquiry.  Astronomy,  cosmog- 
ony, geology,  mineralogy,  anatomy,  physiology,  chemistry,  math- 
ematics, mechanics — with  all  these  he  was  perfectly  familiar,  per- 
fectly at  home.  And  not  only  so,  but  he  wrote  valuable  treatises 
on  them,  which  have  received  high  praise  from  the  few  who  have 
read  them  and  are  qualified  to  judge  of  their  merits. 

The  limits  of  a  single  lecture  will  allow  me  to  do  little  more 

o 

than  give  a  dry  catalogue  of  the  works  which  Swedenborg  wrote 
before  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  subject  of  theology.  The 
following  are  the  English  titles  of  his  published  scientific  works : 

**  The  Art  of  the  Rules,  or  an  Introduction  to  Algebra. 

**  A  Proposal  for  fixing  the  value  of  Coins,  and  determining  the 
Measures  of  Sweden,  so  as  to  suppress  fractions  and  facilitate 
calculations. 

*'  A  Treatise  on  the  Position  of  the  Earth  and  the  Planets. 

'*A  Treatise  on  the  height  of  the  Tides,  and  the  greater  Flux 
and  Reflux  of  the  Sea  in  former  ages  ;  with  proofs  furnished  by 
various  appearances  in  Sweden. 

**A  Sketch  of  a  Work  on  the  Principles  of  Natural  Things,  or 
New  Attempts  at  explaining  the  Phenomena  of  Chemistry  and 
Physics  on  geometrical  principles. 

**  New  Observations  and  Discoveries  respecting  Iron  and  Fire, 
especially  respecting  the  elementary  nature  of  Fire ;  with  a  new 
mode  of  constructing  chimneys. 

**A  New  Method  of  finding  the  Longitude  of  places  on  Land 
and  Sea  by  lunar  observations. 

**  A  Mode  of  constructing  Dry  Docks  for  Shipping. 

**A  new  Mode  of  constructing  Dykes  to  exclude  Inundations  of 
the  Sea  or  of  Rivers. 

**  Miscellaneous  Observations  on  Natural  Things,  particularly 
on  Minerals,  Fire  and  the  Strata  of  Mountains. 

**  The  Principles  of  Natural  Things,  or  New  Attempts  at  a  philo- 
sophical explanation  of  the  Phenomena  of  the  Elementary  World. 

**  The  Subterranean  or  Mineral  Kingdom,  or  a  Treatise  on  Iron*' 
(a  work  which  treats  of  the  various  methods  employed  in  different 


i 

4 

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parts  of  Europe  for  the  liquefaction  of  iron  and  converting  it 
into  steel ;  of  iron  ore,  and  the  examination  of  it ;  and  also  of  sev- 
eral experiments  and  chemical  preparations  made  with  iron  and  its 
vitriol  —  illustrated  with  a  great  number  of  fine  copper  engravings.) 
"  A  Treatise  on  Copper  and  Brass"  (a  work  which  treats  of  the 
various  methods  adopted  in  different  parts  of  Europe  for  the  lique- 
faction of  copper,  the  method  of  separating  it  from  silver,  convert- 
ing- it  into  brass  and  other  metals  —  illustrated  also  with  many 

copper  engravmgs.j 

"  The  Economy  of  the  Animal  Kingdom  "  —  In  two  parts  ;  the 
first  of  which  treats  of  the  blood,  the  arteries,  the  veins  and  the 
heart ;  and  the  second  of  the  motion  of  the  brain,  of  the  cortical 
substance,  and  of  the  human  soul.  ,     ,  •  , 

"The  Animal  Kingdom  "  —  in  three  parts;  the  first  of  which 
treats  of  the  viscera  of  the  abdomen,  the  second  of  the  viscera  of 
the  thorax,  and  the  third  of  the  organs  of  sense. 

Besides  these,  there  are  still  other  works  of  his  m  manuscript, 
which  are  now  in  course  of  publication  in  London  under  the  direction 
and  superintendence  of  a  society  of  learned  and  scientific  gentlemen 
of  that  city.  And  all  who  have  taken  pains  to  examine  his  philosoph- 
ical productions  with  much  care,  have  confessed  themselves  deeply 
impressed  with  the  profound  philosophic  spirit  that  pervades  them 
all,  and  with  the  orderly,  penetrating,  comprehensive  and  severely 
analytical  character  of  their  author's  mind. 

The  followincr  testimonial  to  the  literary  and  scientific  merits  of 
Swedenborg  appeared  in  a  London  paper  a  few  years  ago,  and  is 
from  the  pen  of  a  highly  gifted  member  of  the  Royal  Society,  who 
is  probably  better  acquainted  with,  and  better  qualified  to  judge 
of,  his  philosophical  works  than  any  other  man  now  living.      _ 

"He  was,"  says  this  writer,  "  deeply  versed  in  every  science 
—  a  first-rate  mechanician  and  mathematician  —  one  of  the  pro- 
foundest  physiologists  (Haller  says  of  his  voluminous  anatomical 
works,  that  they  are  sua  el  omnino  mirifica)  —  ^  great  military 
engineer  conducting  battles  and  sieges  for  Charles  XII -a  great 
astronomer  -  the  ablest  financier  in  the  Royal  Diet  of  Sweden - 
the  first  metallurgist  of  his  time,  and  the  writer  of  vast  works 
which,  even  at  this  day,  are  of  sterling  authority  on  mining  and 
metals.  Then  he  was  a  poet,  and  a  master  of  ancient  and  modern 
lancruaaes  ;  and  a  metaphysician  who  had  gone  through  all  the 
lon°  mlzes  of  reflective  philosophy,  and  done  besides,  what  meta- 
physicians seldom  do.  for  he  had  found  his  way  out  of  the  mazes 


14 


EMANUEL   SWEDENBORQ. 


and  got  back  to  reality  again.  In  short,  as  far  as  the  natural  sci- 
ences go  (and  we  include  among  them  the  science  of  mind)  it  is 
much  more  difficult  to  say  what  he  was  noty  than  what  he  wa^y 

The  whole  of  Swedenborg*s  works,  when  published,  including 
both  his  philosophical  and  theological  writings,  will  probably 
amount  to  upwards  of  seventy  volumes  —  more  than  half  of  these 
in  royal  octavo  form,  embracing  from  three  to  five  hundred  pages 
each.  Was  ever  such  a  herculean  task  in  the  way  of  writing  per- 
formed by  one  man?     It  almost  makes  an  ordinary  head  dizzy  to 

think  of  it. 

He  wrote  in  Latin.  All  the  works  on  theology  published  by 
himself  were  translated  into  English  several  years  ago  ;  but  his 
philosophical  works  remained  untranslated  until  1843.  And  this, 
probably,  is  one  reason  why  so  little  has  been  said  or  known  of 
them  by  scientific  men.  Within  the  last  few  years,  some  nine  or 
ten  octavo  volumes  of  his  scientific  works  have  issued  from  the 
London  press  in  an  elegant  English  translation.  These  works, 
almost  totally  unknown  before,  have  come  before  the  English  and 
American  public  with  all  the  freshness,  and  I  might  say  with  all 
the  claims,  of  new  and  original  compositions.  And  the  scientific 
men  of  both  countries,  who  are  not  too  wise  in  their  own  conceit 
to  o-ive  them  a  calm  perusal,  have  been  almost  struck  dumb  with 
amazement,  that  such  works  should  have  remained  so  long  in 
obscurity,  or  wrapped  in  the  garb  of  a  dead  and  foreign  language. 
When  the  translation  of  the  Animal  Kingdom  appeared,  a  writer 
in  a  London  Medical  Journal  (the  Forceps)  for  1844,  expressed 
himself  in  this  wise  concerning  that  work  : 

"  This  is  the  most  remarkable  theory  of  the  human  body  that  has 
ever  fallen  into  our  hands;  and  by  Emanuel  Swedenborg  too!  A  man 
whom  we  had  always  been  taught  to  regard  either  as  a  fool,  a  madman, 
or  an  impostor,  or  perhaps  an  undefinable  compound  of  all  the  three. 
Wonders  it  seems  never  will  cease,  and  therefore  it  were  better,  hence- 
forward, to  look  out  for  them,  and  make  them  into  ordinary  things  in 

that  way. 

"  We  have  carefully  read  through  both  volumes  of  this  work,  and 
have  gained  much  philosophical  insight  from  it  into  the  chains  of  ends 
and  causes  that  govern  in  the  human  organism.  What  has  the  world 
been  doing  for  the  past  century,  to  let  this  great  system  slumber  on  the 
shelf,  and  to  run  after  a  host  of  little  blue-bottles  of  hypotheses,  which 
were  never  framed  to  live  for  more  than  a  short  part  of  a  single  seasoni 
It  is  clear  that  it  yet  '  knows  nothing  of  its  greatest  men.'  The  fact 
is,  it  has  been  making  money,  or  trying  to  make  it,  and  grubbing  after 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORQ. 


15 


worthless  reputation,  until   it  has  lost  its  eyesight  for  the  stars  of 
heaven  and  the  sun  that  is  shining  above  it. 

"  Emanuel  Swedenborg's  doctrine,"  continues  the  same  writer,  "  is 
altogether  the  widest  thing  of  the  kind  which  medical  literature 
affords,  and  cast  into  an  artistical  shape  of  consummate  beauty.  Under 
the  rich  drapery  of  ornament  that  diversifies  his  pages,  there  runs  a 
frame-work  of  the  truest  reasoning.  The  book  is  a  perfect  mine  ot 
principles,  far  exceeding  in  intellectual  wealth,  and  surpassing  in  eleva- 
tion, the  finest  efforts  of  Lord  Bacon's  genius.  It  treats  of  the  lofti- 
est  subjects  without  abstruseness,  being  all  ultimately  referable  to  the 
common  sense  of  mankind.  Unlike  the  German  transcendentalists, 
this  gifted  Swede  fulfills  both  the  requisites  of  the  true  philosopher, 
he  is  one  to  whom  the  lowest  things  ascend,  and  the  highest  descend, 
who  is  the  equal  and  kindly  brother  of  all. 

"  We  opened  this  book  with  surprise,  a  surprise  grounded  upon  the 
name  and  fame  of  the  author,  and  upon  the  daring  affirmative  stand 
which  he  takes  in  limine ;  we  close  it  with  a  deep-laid  wonder,  and 
with  an  anxious  wish  that  it  may  not  appeal  in  vain  to  a  profession 
which  may  gain  so  much,  both  morally,  intellectually  and  scientifically 
from  the  priceless  truths  contained  in  its  pages." 

Such  is  the  testimony  of  an  impartial  judge  to  the  merits  of  the 
* 'Animal  Kingdom.' '     And  it  would  be  easy  to  cite  more  of  the 

same  nature. 

In  his  Principia,  another  of  his  recently  translated  philosophical 
works,  Swedenborg  propounds  the  doctrine  of  the  translatory  mo- 
tion of  the  whole  starry  heavens,  and  even  points  out  the  exact 
situation  of  our  solar  system  among  the  stars  ;  and  astronomical 
observation  has  since  confirmed  the  correctness  of  his  teaching  on 
both  these  points.  Speaking  of  these  sublime  discoveries,  a  sci- 
entific writer  in  a  late  English  periodical  says : 

«  To  Swedenborg  is  due,  therefore,  the  merit  of  first  propounding 
these  mighty  truths  to  the  world.  In  no  single  work  of  his  day  is 
there  found  even  a  conjecture  of  such  cosmical  changes,  and  transla- 
tory motions,  as  those  which  the  scientific  world  have  since  detected 
by  their  instruments;  yet  the  whole  of  the  phenomena  was  not  only 
affirmed  to  exist,  but  a  complete  theory,  by  which  they  can  be  ex- 
plained, was  pubHshed  to  the  world,  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, in  the  Principia  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg.  The  same  facts  were 
not  conjectured  till  Herschell's  time,  nor  admitted  till  so  recent  a  date 
as  the  last  thirty  years.  One  hundred  years  previous  to  this  admission, 
and  fifty  years  preceding  the  conjecture,  this  eminent  philosopher  had 
tracea  his  finger  along  the  galaxy;  and,  as  if  inspired  with  that  pro- 
phetic spirit  which  springs  from  true  genius,  had  boldly  prophesied  to  a 


16 


EMANUEL    6WEDENB0RG. 


17 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG. 


subsequent  age  the  exact  character  of  the  milky  stream;  and  '.n  Ian 
guage  as  lofty  as  it  is  beautiful,  as  eminently  true  as  it  was  prophetic, 
aas  said,  when  pointing  to  the  milky  stream  — 

"  Here  lies  the  chain  and  magnetic  course  of  the  whole  of  our  side- 
rial  heaven." —  p.  237. 

"  These  striking  agreements  between  Swedenborg's  theoretical 
Principia,  and  the  facts  of  observation,  are  not  mere  coincidences^  but 
are  the  positive  results  flowing  from  the  application  of  the  new  formula 
he  invented,  and  which  he  based  on  actual  experiment  and  geometry. 
And  these  results  flow  as  directly  from  his  formula,  as  the  revolutionary 
motions  of  the  planetary  system  from  Newton's  formula  of  gravitation, 
or  the  situation  and  velocity  of  a  new  planet  from  the  formula  of  Le- 
verrier  or  Adams." 

And  justly  enough  does  this  writer  remark  that  these  sublime 
discoveries  are  sufficient  * 'alone,  and  apart  from  the  many  [in  the 
same  work]  yet  to  be  reported  in  subsequent  articles,  to  stamp 
immortality  on  this  work  of  genius.** 

This  is  the  work  (the  Principia)  of  which  Professor  Goerres,  of 
Germany  —  himself  a  Roman  Catholic  —  says,  in  a  critical  notice, 
''  It  contains  a  rich  treasure  of  enlarged  and  profound  observations 
on  nature  —is  a  production  indicative  of  profound  thought  in  all 
its  parts,  and  not  unworthy  of  being  placed  by  the  side  of  New- 
ton's Mathematical  Principia  of  Natural  Philosophy." 

In  the  translation  of  Cramer's  Elements  of  the  Art  of  Assay- 
mg  Metals,  by  Dr.  Cromwell  Mortimer,  Secretary  of  the  Royal 
Society  of  London  in  1764,  we  find  the  following  testimonial : 

"  For  the  sake  of  such  as  understand  Latin,  we  must  not  pass  by 
that  magnificent  and  laborious  work  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg,  entitled 
Principia  Rerum  Naturalium,  in  three  tomes,  folio  :  in  the  second  and 
third  tomes  of  which  — [these  embrace  his  mineral  kingdom]  —  he  has 
given  the  best  accounts,  not  only  of  the  method  and  newest  improve- 
ments in  metallic  works  in  all  places  beyond  the  seas,  but  also  those  in 
England  and  our  colonies  in  America,  with  drafts  of  the  furnaces 
and  instruments  employed.  It  is  to  be  wished  we  had  extracts  from 
this  work  in  English." 

Mr.  Patterson,  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend  who  had  loaned  him  a 
copy  of  the  Principia,  says  :  **  The  work  of  Swedenborg  which 
you  were  so  kind  as  to  put  into  my  hands,  is  an  extraordinary  pro- 
duction of  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  men,  certainly,  that  has 
ever  lived."      And   after  stating,  among  other  things,  that   he 


^ 
I 


should  like  to  peruse  it  farther  before  he  expressed  his  opinion  of 
it,  **a  thing/'  he  adds,  **not  to  be  done  in  few  words,"  he  con- 
tinues :  **  This  much,  however,  I  can  truly  say,  that  the  air  of 
mysticism  which  is  generally  thought  to  pervade  Baron  Sweden- 
borg's ethical  and  theological  writings,  has  prevented  philosophers 
from  paying  that  attention  to  his  physical  productions  of  which  I  now 
see  that  they  are  worthy.  Many  of  the  experiments  and  observa- 
tions on  magnetism,  presented  in  this  work,  are  believed  to  be  of 
muck  more  modern  date,  and  are  unjustly  ascribed  to  much  more  recent 

writers  J  ^ 

There  is  the  fullest  evidence  that  other  important  discoveries 
were  anticipated  by  Swedenborg,  the  merit  of  which  has  been 
claimed  by  other  writers.  The  London  Cyclopedia,  under  the 
article  ''Swedenborg,"  says:  *' In  the  two  works  entitled  (Eco- 
nomia  Regni  Animalis,  and  Regnum  Animale,  the  author  made 
many  important  discoveries  in  anatomy  and  in  the  circulation  of 
the  blood  ;  but,  owing  to  the  little  pains  taken  to  circulate  his  phi- 
losophical and  scientific  writings,  those  discoveries  are  not  gene- 
rally known  to  belong  to  him." 

In  a  work  entitled  "  The  Institutions  of  Physiology,"  by  Blu- 
menbach,  the  author,  treating  of  the  brain,  says,  *'  that,  after  birth 
it  undergoes  a  constant  and  gentle  motion,  correspondent  with  res- 
piration ;  so  that  when  the  lungs  shrink  in  expiration,  the  brain 
rises  a  little,  but  when  the  chest  expands,  it  again  subsides."  And 
in  a  note  he  adds,  '*  that  Daniel  Schlichting  first  accurately  described 
this  phenomenon  in  1744."  But  it  is  now  known  that  Swedenborg 
iKid  fully  demonstrated,  and  accurately  described,  this  correspon- 
dent action  in  that  part  of  his  CEconomia  Regni  Animalis  published 
in  1740,  which  treats  of  the  coincidence  of  motion  between  the 
brain  and  the  lungs. 

In  another  part  of  the  same  Institutions  of  Physiology,  when 
speaking  of  the  causes  of  the  motion  of  the  blood,  Blumenbach 
remarks :  *'  When  the  blood  is  expelled  from  the  contracted  cavi- 
ties, a  vacuum  takes  place,  into  which,  according  to  the  common 
laws  of  derivation,  the  neighboring  blood  must  rush,  being  pre- 
vented, by  means  of  the  valves,  from  regurgitating."  In  a  note 
this  discovery  is  attributed  to  Dr.  Wilson.  But  it  now  appears 
that  the  same  principle  was  known  to  Swedenborg  long  before, 
and  is  applied  by  him  in  the  CEconomia  Regni  Animalis,  to  account 
for  the  motion  of  the  blood,  as  any  one  may  see  who  will  read  the 
section  of  that  work  on  the  circulation  of  the  blood  in  the  foetus 
2 


18 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG. 


And  in  anatomy,  the  first  discovery  and  description  of  a  pas- 
sage of  communication  between  the  two  lateral  ventricles  of  the 
brain,  was  claimed  by  the  celebrated  anatomist.  Dr.  Monro,  of  Ed- 
inburgh, and  the  merit  of  the  discovery  has  since  been  awarded 
him  by  succeeding  anatomists.  In  his  work  entitled  "  Observa- 
tions on  the  Structure  and  Functions  of  the  Nervous  System,"  the 
Doctor  says,  that  he  demonstrated  this  foramen  to  his  pupils  as 
early  as  the  year  1753.  Now  anyone  who  will  look  into  Sweden- 
borg's  Regnum  Animale,  page  207,  may  there  find  a  description 
of  the  foramen  here  spoken  of.  And  this  work  was  published  by 
Swedenborg  some  eight  or  ten  years  before  the  time  that  Dr. 
Monro  says  he  demonstrated  this  foramen  to  his  pupils. 

I  do  not  affirm  that  these  men  first  drew  their  discoveries  from 
the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  and  then  claimed  them  as  their  own. 
But  the  fact  stands  thus,  that  the  discoveries  here  claimed  were 
made  by  Swedenborg  years  before,  as  his  philosophical  works 
themselves  do  plainly  testify. 

The  second  part  of  Swedenborg's  work  on  iron  and  the  preparation 
of  steel,  which  abounds  with  valuable  information,  was  deemed  by 
the  authors  of  the  magnificent  description  of  arts  and  trades  which 
are  carried  on  at  Paris,  to  be  of  so  much  consequence  that  thev 
translated  and  inserted  the  whole  of  it  in  their  collection  oi  the  best 
things  written  on  these  subjects. 

These  facts  and  testimonials  suffice  to  show  that  Swedenboro-'s 
philosophical  works  are  valuable  as  well  as  voluminous ;  that  he 
not  only  wrote  rapidly,  but  thought  profoundly.  And  yet  they 
give  but  a  fiiint  idea  of  the  real  value  of  these  works,  for  their  chief 
value  lies  in  their  principles  and  not  in  their  details  ;  and  they  are, 
as  an  English  reviewer  has  justly  remarked,  -a  perfect  view  of 
principles."  And  every  year,  and  every  onward  step  in  the  proo-- 
ress  of  science,  tends  to  establish  more  and  more  firmly  the  truth 
of  these  principles. 

No  man  ever  understood  better  than  Swedenborg,  and  no  man 
ever  possessed  in  a  higher  degree  than  he,  the  intellectual  and 
moral  qualities  requisite  for  the  investigation  of  high  truths.  He 
saw  that  all  truth,  of  whatever  order  or  degree,  comes  from  God 
and  flows  most  easily  into  hearts  that  are  purest  and  most  devoted 
to  high  and  noble  ends.  In  his  Prologue  to  the  Animal  Kingdom 
pointmg  out  the  way,  and  the  only  way,  to  principles  or  scientific 
truths,  "  which  appears  to  be  open  to  us  earth-born  men,"  after 
speaking  of  the  importance  of  -  exploring  all  the  truths  which  form 


EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG. 


' 


h 


10 


the  one  truth"  we  are  seeking,  of  'Maying  the  broadest  founda- 
tion," and  of  adding  to  other  requisites  *♦  an  innate  love  of  truth,  an 
eager  desire  of  exploring  it,  and  a  delight  in  finding  it,"  he  adds: 
**  Above  all  it  behooves  the  mind  to  be  pure,  and  to  respect  uni- 
versal ends,  as  the  happiness  of  the  human  race,  and  thereby  the 
glory  of  God  ;  truth  is  then  infused  into  our  minds  from  its  heaven  ; 
whence,  as  from  its  proper  fountain,  it  all  emanates." 

Swedenborg  was  no  mere  speculator  in  knowledge,  no  theorizer, 
no  lover  nor  seeker  after  vague  hypothesis.  Random  speculation 
he  never  could  endure.  His  clear  mathematical  mind  could  repose 
nowhere  but  in  substantial  realities.  He  will  ever  have  the  solid 
ground  to  stand  and  act  upon  ;  and  whenever  he  climbs,  the  rounds 
of  his  ladder  must  be  always  strong  as  iron.  Experience,  facts, 
geometry  —  these  must  form  the  basis  of  his  conclusions,  and  be  the 
support  of  every  edifice  that  he  essays  to  rear.  These  are  his 
guiding  lights  — his  rectifying  stars  — in  all  his  philosophical  jour- 
neyings.  Thus  in  that  profound  and  magnificent  chapter  of  the 
Principia,  "  on  the  true  Philosopher,"  he  says  :  *'  Now  the  means 
which  more  especially  conduce  to  a  knowledge  truly  philosophi- 
cal, are  three  in  number  —  experience,  geometry,  and  the  fac- 
ulty OF  REASONING."  And  after  adverting  to  his  own  attempt  to 
explain  philosophically  the  hitherto  secret  operations  of  elemental 
nature,  he  adds  : 

"In  such  an  ocean  I  should  not  venture  to  spread  my  sail,  without 
having  experience  and  geometry  continually  present  to  guide  my  hand 
and  watch  the  helm.  With  these  to  assist  and  direct  me,  I  may  hope 
for  a  prosperous  voyage  over  the  trackless  deep.  Let  these,  therefore, 
be  my  two  stars  to  enlighten  and  guide  me  on  the  way." 

And  not  only  will  he  have  experience  and  geometry  to  build 
upon,  but  in  his  manner  of  building  you  see  everywhere  displayed 
the  hand  of  a  master.  He  knows  how  to  use  facts  and  the  experi- 
ence of  other  men.  His  processes  are  as  natural  and  methodical 
as  his  foundation  is  solid.  His  reasoning  is  clear  and  cogent  — 
always  severely  inductive  and  analytical.  He  had  an  intensl)  aver- 
sion to  the  synthetic  mode  of  reasoning,  L  e.  reasoning  from  hypo- 
thesis ;  and  in  the  first  chapter  of  his  Animal  Kingdom  he  pours 
forth  a  torrent  of  indignant  scorn  of  what  he  terms,  *'  those  mis- 
shapen ofifspring,  the  monsters  of  hypothesis."  **They  are  con- 
ceived," he  says,  '*  they  are  born,  they  grow  to  maturity,  they  grow 
old,  at  last  they  die.  But  from  the  ashes  of  each,  new  ones  arise  ; 
and  every  hydra-head  that  is  lopped  oflp  by  the  youthful  Hercules 


20 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORO. 


acred  fire  are  contaminated.     All  these  thing/ flow  from  thl 
:;tS:f;!-^^  -"^^^  ''-  ^^^^'  -^  ^^^  propWor  realt" 
But  his  aversion  to  the  synthetical  was  more  than  equaled  bv 
his  love  of  the  analytical  method  of  reasoning.     "Analysis"  he 
says,  "commences  its  web  of  ratiocination  from  factt  eSs  and 
phenomena  which  have  entered  through  the  bodily  senses   and 
2-ts  to  causes  and  causes  of  causes.     If  the  monum       she  fthe 
ii.ind]  essays  to  construct,  may  be  compared  with  a  palace  a  man 
sK>n,  or  a  pyramid,  she  may  be  said  now  to  lay  the  fo'u nda  i'o„  ^st" 
hen  to  ra.se  the  walls,  and  surrounding  the  edifice  with  ladders  a"d 
scaffolds,  gradually  to  carry  it  to  the"  roof  or  summit.     £       ' 

X'eZZ't^r'  ''^•^'''*  °f -^^y«'«' founds  and  rears     e 
rZ\  '  "'  '"  ^"  atnjosphere  too  high  for  her,  which 

won,  Dut  on  the  solid  "round/' 

mott  *^'f./*"''°"«  ""'^'y'i^al  method  of  reasoning,  is  nowhere 
more  beautifully  exemplified  than  in  his  own  works 

.ht'f  «     !  T  """"'"^  °^  "'^  ^'^'^P'''^'  o^  sensualist,  or  materialist 

in  hi  2  r^'  v*"*^  '^  "°"''"»  ''^"-'  heartless  or  SS' 
m  His  philosophv.     You  never  mepf  in  h\^  r^o  •  /       "^^*^> 

that  shocks  or'chills  the  finest  reSu"s:ibX  "1'  '"^''"^ 
evermore  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  relStLen^thTnl  "" 
none  ever  had  a  profounder  veneration  for%he  D    ^    I'tt 7 

alr;;iCh?w^,;r;t^:;2t:rTdt  "r-^  ^^--^^ 

greets  yo„  everywhere  in  his  wrlti^  fi^  tht  ptretTar 
den  of  flowers.     It  is  the  verv  life-bloor!  nf  i;.     u-i        !_     ° 
immrfs  t^  w  „  ■  ,  ''  o'  "IS  philosophy,  and 

miparts  to  it  a  perennial  warmth,  freshness,  fragrance  and  vi^r 
Himself  one  of  the  devoutest  philosophers,  he  is  continual  '^ 
spiring  the  same  sentiment  in  his  readers  annarJfl  '°"'/""^'^.'°- 
conscious  of  it.     However  he  discourses  upon  nlT^  T\      '"'"^ 
and  effects.  God  seems  to  be  in  Tht  Z:^ifr:^ 


EMANUEL   SWEDENBORO. 


21 


f 


permits  you  for  a  moment  to  lose  sight  of  Deity,  as  the  primary 
hvmg,  and   ever  present   Cause  of  all   effects   in   nature.     Yet 
there  is  an  utter  absence  of  all  religious  cant,  and  of  all  cant 
phrases.     He  utters  never  a  word  as  if  to  let  you  see  what  a  reli- 
gious man  he  is.     You  feel  that  all  he  says  flows  forth  spontane- 
ously from  a  profoundly  humble  and  reverential  spirit ;  and  you 
cannot  read  him  much  without  having  your  own  soul  drawn  into 
sympathy  with  his  — without  becoming  more  devout  and  rever- 
ential yourself.     An  undevout  philosopher  was  to  his  mind  an 
impossibility  — a  contradiction  in  terms.     "Without  the  utmost 
reverence  for  the  Supreme  Being/'  he  says  in  the  Principia,  -no  one 
can  be  a  complete  and  truly  learned  philosopher.     True  philosophy 
and  contempt  of  the  Deity  are  two  opposites.     Veneration  for  the 
Infinite  Being  can  never  be  separated  from  philosophy  ;  for  he  who 
fancies  himself  wise  whilst  his  wisdom  does  not  teach  him  to  ac- 
knowledge a  Divine  and  Infinite  Being,  that  is,  he  who  thinks  he 
can  possess  any  wisdom  without  a  knowledge  and  veneration  of 
the  Deity,  has  not  even  a  particle  of  wisdom.'' 

And  he  was  himself  a  living  and  practical  illustration  of  the 
truth  of  his  own  sayings,  that  "true  philosophy  leads  to  the  most 
profound  admiration  and  adoration  of  the  Deity  ;"  and  "  the  more 
profound  is  any  man's  wisdom,  the  more  profound  will  be  his 
veneration  of  the  Deity." 

Coupled  with  this  profound  veneration  of  the  Deity,  we  recognize 
in  Swedenborg  a  humility  not  less  profound  nor  less  indicative  o'f  the 
true  Christian  philosopher.     He  claimed  no  merit  to  himself  for 
any  of  his  discoveries,  but  habitually  ascribed  all  the  honor  and 
all  the  glory  to  Him  who  is  the  Light  of  all  minds  —  the  very  Truth 
Itself.  ^   Regarding  all  natural  science  simply  as  a  means  of  becom- 
ing wise,  and  living  in  the  constant  acknowledgment  that  all  true 
wisdom  is  from  the  Lord,  he  may  be  said  to  have  belonged  in  a 
preeminent  degree  to  that  class  of  persons,  of  whom  he  speaks  in 
his  Economy  of  the  Animal  Kingdom,  as  being  "  in  pursuit  of 
genmne  wisdom."     "  They  reckon  the  sciences  and  the  mechanic 
arts,"  he  says,  "only  among  the  ministers  of  wisdom,  and  they 
learn  them  as  helps  to  its  attainment,  not  that  they  may  be  reputed 
wise  on  account  of  their  possessing  them.     They  modestly  restrain 
the  external  mind  in  its  tendency  to  be  elated  and  puffed  up,  be- 
cause they  perceive  the  sciences  to  form  an  ocean  of  which  the> 
can  only  catch  a  few  drops.     They  look  at  no  one  with  a  scornful 
brow  or  the  spirit  of  superiority,  nor  do  they  arrogate  any  of  their 


22 


BMAKCBL   SWEDENBORG. 


attainments  to  themselves.     Thev  refer  all  fn  th.  v^  u 

them  as  mfts  from  Him   irc^rl  V       f  ^o  the  Deity,  and  regard 

from  its  ftunta   T    wZ^  ^"  -^^"^  ^'f^^  ^^^  - 

'*  Thp  T  crA  1.        •     ^^^^'^^^"^^y  ^^e  says  m  another  of  his  works  • 

for  ever,  one  w.o  lov';^ti.rrX'^^-^^:^^^^^^^^^^^^         ''^^'^.; 
from  the  Lord,  the  Lord  being  the  Way  a  d  the  Trutr.    '  ""  " 

loving  all  men  wkh  a  brotheVs  lot  heTal  atkeTr'  '^'""'^'' 
praises  and  censures  of  all      Tl  !      J  indifferent  tothe 

which  operate  w.th  LlV'  7""^  """''^'^  considerations 

achievemVn  h  no  t  i  Sir^ail "1,  T '^""^  P'^^P' '"  ^-«' 
scorn  beneath  his  1:%':  ll'  sTm  "rVthV^T  ^''' 
sake.     He  had  an  eve  sinHe  to  .»,!/      ^'"— f^""!  for  its  own 

devotion  and  sin.lene!s  of  he,r?  r.'  v  '''  P"''"*^^  '' ^"'^  * 
else  had  sufficient  Xaet^f.rX.Xr^'^l-.    ^'°*<^ 

of  a  name  or  poDularitv      Tn  r,,^  %  •  "^  acquisition 

I  Win  the  favoX:So::r:;:  rerr:r-:Serr''^^ 

the  (Economia  he  saj  "  O  wh,t  '''""°'°P''y-"  ^"'^  ''^'"°  '" 
should  persuade  anvonVt         k  '""sequence  is  it  to  me  that  I 

son  persulde  him  ^  dn  "^ T^^  ""^  ""'"'""^ '  ^'  ^^'  °^-  rea- 
or  eLlIent  both  ofllufT^'  '^''  ""^"^  '°'  '''^  ^""ke  of  honor 
disquiet  the  minH      Ju  ^  '''""  "''^''  '''"'"  ^«'^k,  because  thev 

-ost  perfect  ordeVoJ  It""  '^  ""'""'^'  ''°'*  "''  ^'^  P""-  ^  the 

J^c^thriSr  :";'"^";'y  ^^-'-'  »an.     This  is  sufficiently 

did  not  stand  .If  "['""'"'  °^  "^^  Pbilosophical  works.    He 

d.d  not  stand  aloof  from  the  affairs  of  men,  nor  look  down  v^ith 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG. 


23 


. 


disdain  upon  the  concerns  of  this  lower  \vorld,  as  if  they  were  be- 
neath his  regard.     On  the  contrary  he  applied  the  force  of  his 
inventive  genius  to  improve  the  economies  and  to  increase  the 
comforts  and  conveniences  of  social  life.     He  did  not  deem  it  be- 
neath the  dignity  of  a  philosopher  to  write  treatises  on  the  Swedish 
currency,  the   construction  of  chimneys,   docks,   and  dykes,   the 
smelting  of  iron  and  copper,  nor  to  make  drafts  of  furnaces\vith 
his  own  hands.     Nor  did  he  feel  as  if  it  were  stooping  to  do  these 
things  ;  and  it  was  not.     We  all  feel  as  if  he  were  the  truer  philoso- 
pher—the greater  man  — for  this;    and  we  cannot  help  loving 
him  more  sincerely  on  account  of  it.     He  regarded  use  as  the  end 
of  all  doctrine,  all  science,  and  all  learning,  and  w^as  himself  the 
most  beautiful  exemplification  of  his  heavenly  doctrine  of  uses.     He 
was  not  at  all  miserly,  therefore,  in  respect  to  his  intellectual  pos- 
sessions, but  always  liberal  and  expansive  as  the  air.    Consequently, 
his  mind  was  not  a  mere  treasure-house,  or  depository  of  dead  learn- 
ing, but,  like  the  great  laboratory  of  nature,  it  made  every  speck 
of  knowledge  subserve  some  useful  end.     Like  some  rich  and  beau- 
tiful garden,  ever  swept  with  vernal  breezes,  and  moistened  with 
vernal  showers,  and  warmed  with  the  beams  of  a  tropical  sun,  it 
was  full  of  green  and  living  things,  which  grew,  and  blossomed, 
and  bore  fruit  perpetually,  shedding  their  fragrance  on  all  around  ; 

and  this,  because  his  mind  was  ever  open  to  the  Lord's  love 

ever  receptive  of  the  warmth  of  the  spiritual  Sun.     In  the  garden 
of  his  soul,  it  was  always  summer  time. 

Swedenborg  was  also  a  considerate  man  —  remarkably  so.     The 
utmost  wisdom  and  moderation  were  conspicuous  in  all  he  said  or 
did.     Not  blind  to  the  evils  and  abuses  in  society  ;  —  no  man  ever 
saw  them  more  clearly  than  he.     But  he  did  not  pounce  upon 
them  with  savage  ferocity,  as  if  they  were  things  to  be  dispersed 
or  slaughtered  as  you  would  slay  a  pack  of  wolves.     He  was  too 
wise  a  man  for  this.     He  beheld  the  abuses  of  his  own  govern- 
ment, and  was  ever  among  the  foremost  to  correct  them ;  but  he 
never  did,  and  never  would,  lend  his  breath  to  fan  the  flame  of 
discontent  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen.     He  knew  there  were 
always  people  enough  to  do  this,  and  that  it  is  f^ir  easier  to  excite 
than  to  allay  discontent — far  easier  to  discover  than    to  repair 
faults.     Writing  to  the  estates  of  Sweden  at  the  opening  of  the 
general  Diet  in  1761,  he  says  : 

"  It  is  indeed  easy  everywhere  to  find  fault,  whether  it  be  in  the 
government  of  a  state  or  in  the  conduct  of  a  private  individual ;  but  if 


24 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORO. 


we  should  judge  of  a  government  only  from  its  faults,  it  would  be  ex- 
ac  ly  as  .f  we  pa>d  attention  only  to  the  faults  or  imperfections  of  a 
c.fzen,  which  could  not  fail  to  redound  to  his  great  prejudice  to  his 
certain  and  inevitable  injury.  prejuaice.  to  his 

"  If  there  existed  in  the  world  a  government  perfectly  celestial 
composed  of  men  of  really  angelic  understanding/even  that  goveri 
rnent  would  not  be  altogether  exempt  from  errf;  or  defec   Tand  tf 
these  were  denounced  and  exaggerated,  there  would  be  a  risk  of  sap 
p.ng  Its  foundations  and  undermining  it  with  evil  speaking  •  and  those 
discontents,  which,  by  little  and  little,  might  be  introduced^ould  soon 
excite  a  desire  for  change  or  overthrow,  even  among  the  best  inten- 
tioned  and  well-disposed  men." 

Swedenborg  was  a  man  of  serene  temper,  of  simple  and  unpre- 
tending manners,  of  an  amiable  disposition,  quiet  deportment,  and 
possessing  a  large,  generous  and  truly  catholic  spirit.     And  he 
sustained,  throughout  the  whole  course  of  his  eventful  life   a  cha- 
racter for  wisdom,  sobriety,  truth,  integrity,  unsullied  virtue,  and 
an  ardent  devotion  to  high  and  useful  ends,  such  as  few  if  any 
besides  him  ever  sustained.     Nor  was  his  merely  the  wisdom  of  thil 
world,  bat  wisdom  which  cometh  down  from    above -wisdom 
drawn  from  the  depths  of  that  Divine  Word,  which   he  loved 
revered  and  studied  wiih  such  deep  and  untiring  devotion.     Doubt- 
less ,t  IS  in  this,  viz  :  his  uneqaled  devotion  to  tlie  study  of  that 
rue  Light  which  enlighteneth  every  man,"  that  the  secret  of 
his  extraordinary  illumination  lies  ;  for  he  tells  us  that  he  "  was 
led  to  read  the  Word  of  God  over  many  times,"  and  immediately 
adds:  "Inasmuch  as  the  Word  of  God  is  the  source  whence  all 
theology  must  be  derived,  I  was  thereby  enabled  to  receive  instruc- 
tion from  the  Lord,  who  is  the  Word."     In  harmony  with  this,  is 
the  first  among  those  beautiful  rules  of  life  which  he  prescribed 
tor  the  regulation  of  his  own  conduct,  and  which  were  found  inter- 
spersed among  his  manuscripts  after  his  death.     These  rules  are  : 
o'  1' ^°  ^''^°*^'^"  ""''  ""''^it'^te  well  on  the  Word  of  the  Lord. 

of  n-         D       7^^  '■^''""^'^  ''"''  contented  under  the  dispensations 
of  Divine  Providence. 

ti'n  "J°  "'""''*'  '"  everything  a  propriety  of  behavior,  and  always  to 
keep  the  conscience  clear  and  void  of  offense. 

4.  «  To  obey  what  is  ordained  :  —  to  discharge  with  fidelity  the  func- 
tions of  my  employment  and  the  duties  of  my  office,  and  to  render 
myself  in  all  things  useful  to  society."  .    "«  to  render 

How  few,  how  brief,  how  simple  are  these  rules  !  Yet  what 
volumes  of  wisdom  do  they  contain  !     How  worthy  to  be  inscribed 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG. 


25 


i 


in  letters  of  gold  on  the  door-posts  of  every  man's  house  —  engra- 
ven in  characters  of  living  light  on  the  tablet  of  every  human 
heart !  And  how  admirably,  too,  were  these  rules  illustrated  in 
their  author's  own  life  !  The  testimony  of  his  cotemporaries  and 
acquaintance  to  the  remarkable  purity  and  excellence  of  his  char- 
acter, as  well  as  to  his  great  learning,  is  most  ample,  some  of  which 
permit  me  here  to  adduce. 

Dr.  Messiter,  an  eminent  physician  of  London  and  a  personal 
acquaintance  of  Swedenborg's,  says  of  him  in  a  letter  to  one  of  the 
professors  in  the  university  of  Glasgow,  *a  can  with  truth  assert, 
that  he  is  truly  amiable  in  his  morals,  most  learned  and  humble 
in  his  discourse,  and  superlatively  aflfable,  humane  and  courteous  in 
his  behavior,  and  this  joined  with  a  solidity  of  understanding  and 
penetration  far  above   the  level  of  an  ordinary  genius."    °And 
again,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Hamilton,  of  Edinburgh,  this  same  gentle- 
man says  of  him:  **  There  are  no  parts  of  mathematical,  philo- 
sophical, or  medical  knowledge,  nay,  I  believe  I  might  justly  say, 
of  human  literature,  to  which  he  is  in  the  least  a  stranger ;  yet  so 
totally  insensible  is  he  of  his  own  merit,  that  I  am  confident  he 
does  not  know  that  he  has  any;  and,  as  himself  somewhere  says 
of  the  angels,  he  always  turns  his  head    away  on  the  slightest 
encomium." 

General  Christian  Tuxen,  another  personal  acquaintance  of  Swe- 
denborg's, and  the  King  of  Denmark's  Commissioner  of  War  at 
Elsineur,  speaks  of  him,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Nordenksjold,  as  '*  Our 
late  benefactor,  and  in  truth,  not  only  ours,  but  that  of  all  man- 
kind;" and  he  adds  :  '*  For  my  part,  I  thank  our  Lord  the  God  of 
heaven,  that  I  have  been  acquainted  with  this  great  man  and  his 
writings.  I  esteem  this  as  the  greatest  blessing  I  ever  experienced 
in  this  life." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Hartley,  who  was  on  terms  of  intimacy  with  him 
for  several  years,  and  who  is  said  to  have  been  himself  **  a  man 
of  the  deepest  piety,"  speaks  of  him  thus  : 

"  The  great  Swedenborg  was  a  man  of  uncommon  humility.  He 
was  of  a  catholic  spirit,  and  loved  all  good  men  of  every  church,  ma- 
king at  the  same  time  all  candid  allowance  for  the  innocence  of  invol- 
untary error.  However  self-denying  in  his  own  person,  as  to  gratifi- 
cations and  indulgences,  even  within  the  bounds  of  moderation,  yet 
nothing  severe,  nothing  of  the  precisian,  appeared  in  him,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  an  inward  serenity  and  complacency  of  mind  were  manifest 
in  the  sweetness  of  his  looks  and  outward  demeanor.  It  may  reason- 
3 


26 


EMAKUEL    6WEDEXB0RG. 


ab  y  be  supposed  that  I  have  weighed  the  character  of  our  illustriou. 
author  m  the  scale  of  my  best  judgment,  from  the  personal  knowledge 

LI.  „  °1  f      '  r  "'"  '"''  i"f«™ation  I  could  procure  respecting 
him  and  from  a  d.l.gent  perusal  of  his  writings ;  and  according  d.ereto 
have  found  h>m  to  be  the  sound  divine,  the  good  man,  the  deep  phi- 
losopher the  v.n.versal  scholar,  and  the  polite  gentleman  ;  and  [  further 
beheve,  that  he  had  a  high  degree  of  illumination  from  the  Spiri   of 
God  was  commissioned  by  him  as  an  extraordinary  messenger  to  the 
world,  and  had  communication  with  angels  and  the  spiritual  world  far 
beyond  any  since  the  time  of  the  apostles.     As  such,  I  offer  his  char- 
acter to  the  world,  solemnly  declaring  that,  to  the  best  of  my  knowl- 
edge, I  am  not  herein  led  by  any  partiality  or  private  views  whatever 
being  much  dead  to  every  worldly  interest,  and  accounting  myself  la 
unworthy  of  any  higher  character  than  that  of  a  penitent"  sfnuer" 

Carl  Robsam,  the  director  of  the  bank  of  Sweden,  who  also 
knew  Swedenborg  well,  and  was  often  at  his  house,  says  of  him  • 
"  He  loved  truth  and  justice  in  all  his  feelings  and  actions.  He  was 
not  only  a  learned  man  and  a  gentleman  after  the  manner  of  the  times 
but  a  man  so  distinguished  for  wisdom  as  to  be  celebrated  throughout 
1-urope;  and  also  possessed  a  propriety  of  manners  that  rendered  him 
everywhere  an  honored  and  acceptable  companion.  Thus  he  continued 
to  old  age  serene,  cheerful  and  agreeable,  with  a  countenance  always 
Illuminated  by  the  light  of  his  uncommon  genius." 

Count  Andrew  Van  Hopken,  the  prime  minister  of  Sweden,  and 
one  of  the  institutors  of  the  Swedish  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences 
speaks  of  him,  in  a  letter  to  General  Tuxen,  as  '•  a  pattern  of  sin' 
cerity,  of  virtue  and  piety;"  and  says  : 

«  I  have  not  only  known  him  these  "two  and  forty  years,  but  have  alsn 
for  some  time  daily  frequented  his  company.     And  I  do  not  r!Iollect 

liT  T\  "'''.  ""'  •"*"  "^  """"^  """""^'y  ^'^tuous  character 
ZlZ^ft°\V  ''"''y^'=°"t«"»«'^,  never  fretful  or  morose,  although 
throughout  his  life  his  soul  was  occupied  with  sublime  thoughts  and 
peculations.  He  was  a  true  philosopher  and  lived  like  one  •  he 
labored  diligently,  lived  frugally  without  sordidness;  he  traveled  fre! 
quently,  and  his  travels  cost  him  no  more  than  if  he  had  lived  at  home 
He  was  gifted  with  a  most  happy  genius,  and  a  fitness  for  every  science' 
which  made  him  shine  in  all  those  he  embraced.  He  wafw  ho^," 
contradiction,  probably  the  most  learned  man  in  my  country  " 

Another  cotemporary  and  acquaintance  of  Swedenbor-'s  savs 
ot  him :  ^        V* 

"He  was  of  such  a  nature  that  he  could  impose  on  no  one-  he 
always  spoke  the  truth  in  every  little  matter,  and  would  no"have  mpn! 
any  evasion  though  his  life  had  been  at  stake  "  "^^ 


EMANUEL    SWEDENBORG. 


27 


I 


\ 


Such  we  find  to  be  the  uniform  testimony  yielded  by  Sweden- 
borg's  cotemporaries    and    acquaintance  to  his  unexampled  wis- 
dom, learning,  genius  and  virtue.     Well,  then,  might  Counsellor 
Sandal,  in   his  eulogy  on  the  character  of  this  man,  pronounced 
before  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  of  Stockholm,  October  7th, 
1772,  exclaim,  as  if  oppressed  with  the  dignity  of  his  subject, 
*'  But  if  there  are  some  countenances,  of  which,  as  the  painters 
assure  us,  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  give  an  exact  likeness,  how  diffi- 
cult then  must  it  be  to  delineate  that  of  a  vast  and  sublime  genius," 
like  Swedenborg  !  "  who,  being  endowed  with  a  strength  of  faculty 
truly  extraordinary,'*  *' opened  for  himself  a  way  of  his  own''  to 
the  profoundest  secrets  of  nature,   "  without  ever  straying  from 
sound  morals  and  true  piety." 

Little  as  Swedenborg's  great  principles  were  understood  in  his 
own  day,  (they  have  scarcely  begun  to  be  understood  yet)  and 
imperfectly  as  the  grand  scope  of  his  philosophy  was  apprehend- 
ed, he  was  nevertheless  regarded  by  his  cotemporaries  as  one  of 
the  greatest  men  of  his  times.     He  lived  on  terms  of  familiarity  and 
friendship  with  the  king  and  nobility  of  Sweden,  and  was,  at  an 
early  age,  honored  by  an  appointment  to  one  of  the  highest  and 
most  important  offices  in  the  kingdom.     After  the  death  of  Charles, 
the  queen  began  to  shower  her  favors  upon  the  then  youthful  sage, 
and  the  next  year  conferred  on  him  a  title  of  nobility,  and  changed 
his  name  from   Swedberg  to  Swedenborg,  on  account  of  the  em- 
inent services  which  he  had  rendered  his  country.     This  entitled 
him  to  a   seat  in   the  Triennial  Assemblies  of  the  States  of  the 
Realm.     He  received,  during  his  life,  many  marked  demonstrations 
of  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  scholars  of  his 
time,  for  his  genius  and  learning.     His  name  was  enrolled  amon^ 
the  academicians  of  Upsal,  Stockholm  and  St.  Petersburgh.     His 
society  was  sought  by  the  learned  men  of  his  own  and  of  foreign 
countries,  many  of  whom  were  anxious  to  open  a  correspondence 
with  him,  and  to  consult  him  on  intricate  subjects.     He  was  offer- 
ed the  professorship  of  pure  mathematics  in  the  university  of  Up- 
sal, in  1724,  the  Consistory  urging  that  his  acceptance  of  the  of- 
fice would  redound  greatly  to  the  advantage  of  the  students,  and 
to  the  honor  of  the  university.     But  this  ofifer  he  declined.     At  the 
time  he  resigned  his  office  of  Assessor  in  the  Roval  Metallic  Col- 
lege, he  was  oflfered  a  higher  degree  of  rank,  and  other  privileges 
under  the  government,  all  of   which  he  refused.      He  traveled 
much,  and   in  the  course  of  his   life   made   not  less  than  eight 


28 


EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG. 


EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG. 


29 


journeys  into  other  parts  of  Europe,  chiefly  into  England,  Holland, 
France,  Germany  and  Italy ;  and  it  is  said  that  his  letters,  while 
abroad,  to  the  Swedish  Royal  Academy,  of  which  he  was  a  mem- 
ber, prove  that  few  persons  know  how  to  turn  their  travels  to  such 
useful  account.     He  was  never  married. 

Such  was  Emanuel  Swedenborg.  Such  the  man,  who,  it  is  be- 
lieved, was  especially  prepared  and  ordained  of  God  for  one  of  the 
sublimest  of  human  missions.  And  if  Infinite  Wisdom  ever  de- 
signed to  reveal  unto  men  the  arcana  of  the  spiritual  world  and 
the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  and  if  a  human  instru- 
ment were  needed  for  this  purpose,  I  ask  if  it  be  possible  to  find, 
in  the  whole  catalogue  of  great  names  with  which  history  presents 
us,  one  in  all  respects  so  worthy  of  this  high  office  —  one  so  well 
qualified  in  mind  and  heart — as  the  renowned  individual  whose 
character  I  have  here  faintly  sketched  ?  Where  shall  we  look  for  one 
whom  the  Father  of  lights  would  have  been  more  likely  to  choose  ? 
Where  one,  whose  character  bears  more  conspicuouslv  the  im- 
press of  heaven  —  whose  lamp  seemed  lighted  at  a  purer  fire,  or 
whose  heart,  from  childhood's  blossoming  years,  clung  closer  to 
the  bosom  of  his  God  ? 

In  1743,  at  the  ripe  age  of  fifty-four,  Swedenborg  relinquished  his 
philosophical  pursuits,  and  devoted  himself  for  the  remainder  of 
his  life  —  a  period  of  twenty-seven  years  —  exclusively  to  Theoloo-y. 
At  this  time  commenced  what  is  termed  his  Illumination.  From  his 
own  account,  it  appears  that  this  new  function  was  not  one  of  his  own 
seeking,  but  one  to  which  he  felt  himself  called  by  a  voice  which 
he  dared  7iot  disobey.  In  a  letter  written  near  the  close  of  his  life 
to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hartley,  who  desired  from  him  some  particulars  of 
his  history,  he  thus  speaks  of  this  great  and  important  change  in 
his  life.  After  a  brief  answer  to  the  Doctor's  inquiries  concern- 
ing his  birth,  family,  offices,  honors,  &c.,  he  adds : 

"But  I  regard  all  that  I  have  mentioned  as  matters  of  respectively 
little  moment  ;  for,  what  far  exceeds  them,  I  have  been  called  to  a 
holy  office  by  the  Lord  Himself,  who  most  graciously  manifested  Him- 
self to  me,  his  servant,  in  the  year  1743,  when  he  opened  my  sight  to 
a  view  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  granted  me  the  privilege  of  convers- 
ing with  spirits  and  angels,  which  T  enjoy  to  this  day.  From  that 
time  I  began  to  print  and  publish  various  arcana  that  have  been  seen 
by  me,  or  revealed  to  me,  as  respecting  heaven  and  hell,  the  state  of 
man  after  death,  the  true  worship  of  God,  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 


t 


\' 


Word,  with  many  other  matters  conducive  to  salvation  and  true  wis- 
dom." 

In  many  parts  of  his  writings  he  reiterates  the  same  thing  here 

affirmed,  and  often  in  the  most  emphatic  and  solemn  manner.     In 

a  letter  to  the  king  of  Sweden,  on  the  subject  of  the  persecution 

he  had  received  from  some  of  the  clergy  on  account  of  his  writings, 

he  remarks  with  characteristic  simplicity  and  boldness : 

"  When  my  writings  are  read  with  attention  and  cool  reflection,  (in 
which  many  things  are  to  be  met  with  hitherto  unknown)  it  is  easy 
enough  to  conclude  that  I  could  not  come  to  such  knowledge  but  by  a  real 
vision  and  converse  with  those  who  are  in  the  spiritual  world.  I  am 
ready  to  testify  with  the  most  solemn  oath  that  can  be  offered  in  this 
matter,  that  I  have  said  nothing  but  essential  and  real  truth,  without 
any  mixture  of  deception.  This  knowledge  is  given  to  me  by  our 
Saviour,  not  for  any  particular  merit  of  mine,  but  for  the  great  concern 
of  all  Christians'  salvation  and  happiness." 

And  in  declarations  of  this  sort  did  he  persist  till  the  last  mo- 
ment of  his  earthly  existence.  The  Swedish  clergyman  who  visit- 
ed him  just  before  his  death,  (which  occurred  in  London,  March 
29,  1772,  and  was  occasioned  by  a  paralytic  stroke)  urged  him  to 
recant  either  the  whole  of  what  he  had  written,  or  such  parts  as 
were  not  true,  telling  him  that  '*  he  had  now  nothing  more  to  ex- 
pect from  the  world  which  he  was  so  soon  about  to  leave  forever." 
'*  Upon  hearing  these  words  from  me,"  he  says,  '*  Swedenborg 
raised  himself  halC up  in  his  bed,  and  placing  his  sound  hand  upon 
his  breast,  said  with  great  zeal  and  emphasis,  '  As  true  as  you  see 
me  before  you,  so  true  is  everything  that  I  have  written  ;  and  I 
could  have  said  more,  had  I  been  permitted.  When  you  come 
into  eternity,  you  will  see  all  things  as  I  have  stated  and  described 
them,  and  we  shall  have  much  to  discourse  about  with  each  other.'  " 

Swedenborg  was  able,  during  his  lifetime,  to  give  to  several 
persons  (and  among  them  the  queen  of  Sweden)  satisfactory  evi- 
dence of  his  having  seen  and  conversed  with  the  spirits  of  their 
deceased  friends.  This  evidence  consisted  in  his  stating  things 
which  were  known  to  these  persons,  but  which  it  was  impossible 
he  could  have  learned  in  any  other  way  than  by  actual  converse 
with  the  spirits  of  their  departed  friends.  A  writer  in  the  South- 
ern Quarterly  Review,  in  a  well-penned  article  already  referred  to, 
after  giving  several  instances  of  this  sort,  and  adding  that  '^it 
would  be  easy  to  multiply  cases  equally  remarkable,"  slys  :  *'  If 
there  is  any  force  in  human  testimony  at  all,  we  have  just  as 


28 


EMANUEL  SWEDENBORO. 


EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG. 


29 


journeys  into  other  parts  of  Europe,  chiefly  into  England,  Holland, 
France,  Germany  and  Italy ;  and  it  is  said  that  his  letters,  while 
abroad,  to  the  Swedish  Royal  Academy,  of  which  he  was  a  mem- 
ber, prove  that  few  persons  know  how  to  turn  their  travels  to  such 
useful  account.     He  was  never  married. 

Such  was  Emanuel  Swedenborg.  Such  the  man,  who,  it  is  be- 
lieved, was  especially  prepared  and  ordained  of  God  for  one  of  the 
sublimest  of  human  missions.  And  if  Infinite  Wisdom  ever  de- 
signed to  reveal  unto  men  the  arcana  of  the  spiritual  world  and 
the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  and  if  a  human  instru- 
ment were  needed  for  this  purpose,  I  ask  if  it  be  possible  to  find, 
in  the  whole  catalogue  of  great  names  with  which  history  presents 
us,  one  in  all  respects  so  worthy  of  this  high  office  —  one  so  well 
qualified  in  mind  and  heart — as  the  renowned  individual  whose 
character  I  have  here  faintly  sketched  ?  Where  shall  we  look  for  one 
whom  the  Father  of  lights  would  have  been  more  likely  to  choose  ? 
Where  one,  whose  character  bears  more  conspicuously  the  im- 
press of  heaven  —  whose  lamp  seemed  lighted  at  a  purer  fire,  or 
whose  heart,  from  childhood's  blossoming  years,  clung  closer  to 
the  bosom  of  his  God  ? 

In  1743,  at  the  ripe  age  of  fifty-four,  Swedenborg  relinquished  his 
philosophical  pursuits,  and  devoted  himself  for  the  remainder  of 
his  life  —  a  period  of  twenty-seven  years  —  exclusively  to  Theology. 
At  this  time  commenced  what  is  termed  his  Illumination.  From  his 
own  account,  it  appears  that  this  new  function  was  not  one  of  his  own 
seeking,  but  one  to  which  he  felt  himself  called  by  a  voice  which 
he  dared  not  disobey.  In  a  letter  w^ritten  near  the  close  of  his  life 
to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hartley,  who  desired  from  him  some  particulars  of 
his  history,  he  thus  speaks  of  this  great  and  important  change  in 
his  life.  After  a  brief  answer  to  the  Doctor's  inquiries  concern- 
ing his  birth,  family,  offices,  honors,  (fee,  he  adds  : 

"But  I  regard  all  that  I  have  mentioned  as  matters  of  respectively 
little  moment  ;  for,  what  far  exceeds  them,  I  have  been  called  to  a 
holy  office  by  the  Lord  Himself,  who  most  graciously  manifested  Him- 
self to  me,  his  servant,  in  the  year  1743,  when  he  opened  my  sight  to 
a  view  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  granted  me  the  privilege  of  convers- 
ing with  spirits  and  angels,  which  I  enjoy  to  this  day.  From  that 
time  I  began  to  print  and  publish  various  arcana  that  have  been  seen 
by  me,  or  revealed  to  me,  as  respecting  heaven  and  hell,  the  state  of 
man  after  death,  the  true  worship  of  God,  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 


\ 


\ 


Word,  with  many  other  matters  conducive  to  salvation  and  true  wis- 
dom." 

In  many  parts  of  his  writings  he  reiterates  the  same  thing  here 
affirmed,  and  often  in  the  most  emphatic  and  solemn  manner.  In 
a  letter  to  the  king  of  Sweden,  on  the  subject  of  the  persecution 
he  had  received  from  some  of  the  clergy  on  account  of  his  writings, 
he  remarks  with  characteristic  simplicity  and  boldness  : 

"  When  my  writings  are  read  with  attention  and  cool  reflection,  (in 
which  many  things  are  to  be  met  with  hitherto  unknown)  it  is  easy 
enough  to  conclude  that  I  could  not  come  to  such  knowledge  but  by  a  real 
vision  and  converse  with  those  who  are  in  the  spiritual  world.  I  am 
ready  to  testify  with  the  most  solemn  oath  that  can  be  ofl^ered  in  this 
matter,  that  I  have  said  nothing  but  essential  and  real  truth,  without 
any  mixture  of  deception.  This  knowledge  is  given  to  me  by  our 
Saviour,  not  for  any  particular  merit  of  mine,  butfor  the  great  concern 
of  all  Christians'  salvation  and  happiness." 

And  in  declarations  of  this  sort  did  he  persist  till  the  last  mo- 
ment of  his  earthly  existence.  The  Swedish  clergyman  who  visit- 
ed him  just  before  his  death,  (which  occurred  in  London,  March 
29,  1772,  and  was  occasioned  by  a  paralytic  stroke)  urged  him  to 
recant  either  the  whole  of  what  he  had  written,  or  such  parts  as 
were  not  true,  telling  him  that  **  he  had  now  nothing  more  to  ex- 
pect from  the  world  which  he  was  so  soon  about  to  leave  forever.** 
*'Upon  hearing  these  w^ords  from  me,"  he  says,  '*  Swedenborg 
raised  himself  halt  up  in  his  bed,  and  placing  his  sound  hand  upon 
his  breast,  said  with  great  zeal  and  emphasis,  *  As  true  as  you  see 
me  before  you,  so  true  is  everything  that  I  have  written  ;  and  I 
could  have  said  more,  had  I  been  permitted.  When  you  come 
into  eternity,  you  will  see  all  things  as  I  have  stated  and  described 
them,  and  we  shall  have  much  to  discourse  about  with  each  other.'  " 

Swedenborg  was  able,  during  his  lifetime,  to  give  to  several 
persons  (and  among  them  the  queen  of  Sweden)  satisfactory  evi- 
dence of  his  having  seen  and  conversed  with  the  spirits  of  their 
deceased  friends.  This  evidence  consisted  in  his  stating  things 
which  were  known  to  these  persons,  but  which  it  was  impossible 
he  could  have  learned  in  any  other  way  than  by  actual  converse 
with  the  spirits  of  their  departed  friends.  A  writer  in  the  South- 
ern Quarterly  Review,  in  a  well-penned  article  already  referred  to, 
after  giving  several  instances  of  this  sort,  and  adding  that  *'  it 
would  be  easy  to  multiply  cases  equally  remarkable,**  says  :  '*  If 
there  is  any  force  in  human  testimony  at  all,  we  have  just  as 


30 


EMANUEL  SWEDEXBORG. 


EMANUEL  6WEDENB0RG. 


31 


much  authority  for  believing  that  Swedenborg  had  intercourse 
with  the  spiritual  world,  as  we  have  for  believing  that  Victoria  is 
the  present  reigning  queen  of  Great  Britain." 

But  it  deserves  to  be  remarked  here,  that  Swedenborg  himself 
never  appeals  to  any  cases  of  this  nature  to  authenticate  his 
claims  ;  but  uniformly  to  the  intrinsic  truth  and  rationality  of  his 
teachinos. 

The  amount  which  he  wrote  on  Theology  is  prodigious.  The 
whole  would  probably  make  not  far  from  thirty-five  volumes,  royal 
octavo,  of  five  hundred  pages  each.  The  largest  portion  of  this  — 
considerably  more  than  half — is  devoted  to  an  unfolding  of  the 
internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the  Sacred  Scripture.  He  takes  the 
same  bold  afl&rmative  stand  in  his  Theology  as  in  his  Philosophy ; 
everywhere  displaying  the  same  dignified  calmness  and  compo- 
sure, the  same  absence  of  all  anxiety  as  to  the  reception  his  wri- 
tings will  receive,  the  same  unconcern  as  to  what  opinion  may  be 
formed  of  himself,  and  whether  what  he  says  will  be  believed  or 
not.  Nor  do  w^e  anywhere  discover  the  least  sign  of  a  personal 
ambition  in  him  to  acquire  a  name,  or  to  become  the  founder  or 
leader  of  a  sect.  So  far  from  this,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hartley  says  : 
**  His  voluminous  writings  in  divinity  continued  almost  to  the  end 
of  his  life  to  be  anonymous  publications  ;  and  I  have  some  reason 
to  think  that  it  was  owing  to  my  remonstrance  with  him  on  this 
subject,  that  he  was  induced  to  prefix  his  name  to  his  last  work." 
And  Mr.  Robsam  savs :  **It  was  remarkable  that  Swedenboro* 
never  attempted  to  make  proselytes,  nor  ever  pressed  upon  any  one 
his  explanations  of  the  Word."  Equally  free,  too,  does  he  seem 
to  have  been  from  the  ordinary  natural  love  of  the  world.  The 
London  publisher  of  the  first  two  volumes  of  the  Arcana  Ccelestia, 
after  stating  that  the  author  had  been  to  an  expense  of  four  hun- 
dred pounds  in  writing  and  publishing  this  work,  adds  :  **  He  gave 
express  orders  that  all  the  money  that  should  arise  in  the  sale  of 
this  large  work  should  be  given  towards  the  charge  of  the  propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel.  He  is  so  far  from  desiring  to  make  a  gain 
of  his  labors,  that  he  will  not  receive  one  farthing  back  of  the  four 
hundred  pounds  he  has  expended." 

In  a  sketch  of  this  remarkable  man's  life,  I  am  aware  that  a 
brief  view  of  his  theological  system  should  be  embraced.  But  as 
it  is  my  purpose  in  the  course  of  lectures  to  which  this  is  merely 
introductory,  to  unfold  and  explain  some  of  the  leading  doctrines 
of  the  New  Theology,  I  deem  it  unnecessary  now  to  say  more 


1 


than  this  :  that  it  is  a  complete  system  —  beautiful,  grand,  harmo- 
nious, and  coherent  throughout ;  that  it  gives  us  the  most  elevated 
and  cheering  views  of  the  Lord  and  the  Holy  Scripture,  as  well 
as  of  death  and  the  resurrection  —  of  human  and  of  angelic  life. 
As  Swedenborg  himself  w^as  the  farthest  possible  remove  from  a 
bigot  or  a  sectary,  so  his  writings  everywhere  breathe  a  large, 
comprehensive,  loving,  and  truly  catholic  spirit  —  forming  in  this 
respect  a  striking  contrast  to  most  other  writings  on  theology.  He 
uniformly  addresses  himself  to  our  rational  intuitions,  never  at- 
tempting to  force  his  convictions  upon  us  in  a  dogmatical  way,  nor 
threateninjr  us  with  vials  of  eternal  wrath  if  we  refuse  to  believe 
him  ;  —  never  seeming  to  expect  or  desire  us  to  accept  what  he 
says  merely  because  he  says  it,  nor  to  yield  our  assent  to  anything 
but  the  truth  rationally  perceived.  *'  At  this  day,"  he  says,  "  faith 
will  be  established  and  confirmed  in  the  New  Church,  only  by  the 
Word  itself  and  by  the  truths  it  reveals —  truths  which  appear  in 
light''  to  all  truth-loving  and  truth-seeking  minds.  He  shows 
always  the  profoundest  respect  for  the  individual  conscience,  and  for 
this  great  Protestant  principle — the  right  of  private  judgment  in 
matters  of  religious  faith  ;  and  insists  that  no  one  can  go  to  heaven 
except  he  be  **  led  in  freedom  according  to  reason."  And  while 
he  never  exalts  reason  above  Revelation,  he  never  degrades  Rev- 
elation by  interpreting  it  in  such  a  manner  as  makes  it  contradict, 
or  do  violence  to,  an  enlightened  reason.  He  shows,  too,  that  all 
true  doctrine  is  practical,  leading  to  a  life  of  charity  and  usefulness, 
and  that  this  is  the  end  for  which  it  was  given  ;  and  heaven,  as 
well  as  the  highest  worship  of  the  Lord,  according  to  his  teach- 
incr,  ''  consists  in  a  life  of  uses."  It  was  in  view  of  this  practical 
character  of  his  teachings,  that  the  prime  minister  of  Sweden, 
speaking  on  one  occasion  to  the  king  respecting  this  New  Theology, 
was  led  to  remark  :  **  This  religion,  in  preference  and  in  a  higher 
deo-ree  than  any  other,  must  produce  the  most  honest  and  indus- 
trious subjects  ;    for  this  religion  places  properly  the  worship  of 

God  in  USES." 

Such,  in  general,  is  the  nature,  spirit,  design,  and  tendency,  of 
the  new  system  of  doctrinal  theology  which  Emanuel  Swedenborg 
was  made  the  instrument  in  unfolding  so  clearly  and  beautifully 
from  the  Word  of  the  Lord  ;  and  the  leading  doctrines  of  which 
will  form  the  topics  of  my  succeeding  lectures. 


i 


THE    CONSUMMATION   OF   THE   AGE. 


33 


LECTURE  U. 


THE    "END    OF   THE   WORLD,       OR    CONSUMMATION   OF 

THE   AGE. 

"  For  the  first  heaven  aud  the  first  earth  were  passed  away." — Rev.  xxi.  1. 

It  has  long  been  the  prevailing  belief  of  the  Christian  church, 
that  this  natural  world,  with  all  things  appertaining  to  it,  will,  at 
some  future  time,  be  utterly  destroyed ;  that  then  will  be  the  gen- 
eral judgment,  when  the  Son  of  Man  will  be  seen  coming  in  person 
upon  the  natural  clouds,  with  all  the  holy  angels  with  Him.  And 
at  different  periods  of  the  church  there  have  arisen  **  false  Christs, 
and  false  prophets,''  who  have  assumed  to  be  able  to  foretell  the 
precise  time  when  this  event  would  take  place.  But  thus  far  their 
predictions  have  proved  all  untrue.  The  sun  and  the  stars  con- 
tinue to  shine,  and  the  earth  moves  on  her  orbit  as  orderly  and 
undisturbed  as  ever. 

I  shall  not  stop  to  remark  upon  the  exceedingly  irrational  and 
unphilosophical  character  of  this  opinion  about  **  the  end  of  the 
world."  I  will  only  say  that  it  is  highly  improbable  such  an 
event,  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Church  has  commonly  understood 
it,  will  ever  take  place  ;  for  it  would  be  a  manifest  departure  from 
all  that  is  known  of  the  laws  of  order,  progress,  reproduction  and 
preservation  in  the  natural  world.  The  prevailing  belief  of  the 
Church  upon  this  subject,  has  doubtless  originated  partly  in  the 
mistranslation,  and  consequent  misunderstanding,  of  that  phrase  in 
the  Evannrelists,  commonlv  rendered  "the  end  of  the  world  ;  '*  and 
it  has  been  confirmed  by  other  passages  of  Scripture  understood 
accordinsj:  to  their  literal  sense,  such  as  that  in  Rev.  xxi.  1 .  The 
Greek  words  t;  ovvtixiia  tov  atwvoj  (A^  sunteleia  ton  aionos)  mean, 
not  the  end  of  the  world,  as  is  read  in  the  common  English  version, 
but  the  Consummation  of  the  Age.  This  is  admitted  by  every  good 
classical  scholar,  of  whatever  religious  sect.  Atwf  i^Aion)  means 
an  age,  a  life,  or  any  full  period,  whether  long  or  short ;  and 
ffDvrlXfta  (^sunteleia)  means  the  end,  consummation,  or  finishing  of 
that  period. 

Now,  according  to  the  teachings  of  Swedenborg,  this  natural 
world  is  never  to  be  destroyed ;  but  the  Consummation  of  the  Age 

32 


1 


I 


mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  denotes  the  end  or  consummation 
of  the  first  Christian  Church.     Thus  he  says  : 

"  The  consummation  of  the  Age  is  the  last  time  or  end  of  the 

Church. 

"  On  this  earth  there  have  been  several  churches,  and  all  in  the 
course  of  time  have  been  consummated;  and  after  their  consummation, 
new  ones  have  existed;  and  thus  even  to  the  present  time. 

"  The  church  is  consummated  by  various  things,  especially  by  such 
as  make  the  false  appear  as  true;  and  when  that  appears  true,  then 
the  good  which,  in  itself  is  good,  and  is  called  spiritual  good,  is  not  any 
more  given:  the  good,  which  is  then  believed  to  be  good,  is  only  the 
natural  good,  which  moral  life  produces.  The  causes  that  truth,  and 
together  with  it  good,  are  consummated,  are  principally  the  two  natu- 
ral loves,  which  are  called  love  of  self  and  love  of  the  world,  which  are 
diametrically  opposite  to  the  two  spiritual  loves.  The  love  of  self, 
when  it  is  predominant,  is  opposed  to  love  to  God;  and  the  love  of  the 
world,  when  it  is  predominant,  is  opposed  to  love  toward  the  neighbor. 
The  love  of  self  is,  to  wish  well  to  one's  self  alone,  and  to  no  other  ex- 
cept for  the  sake  of  self;  likewise  the  love  of  the  world;  and  these  two 
loves,  when  they  are  indulged,  spread  themselves  like  a  mortification 
through  the  body,  and  successively  consume  the  whole  of  it.  That 
such  love  has  invaded  churches,  is  manifestly  evident  from  Babylon 
and  the  description  of  it.  Gen.  xi.  1  to  9;  Isaiah  xiii.,xiv.,xlvii;  Jer. 
i.,  and  Dan.  ii.  31  to  47;  iii.  1  to  7,  and  the  following  verses;  v.,  vi.  8 
to  the  end;  vii.  1  to  14;  and  in  Rev.  xvii.  and  xviii.,from  the  beginning 
to  the  end  of  each."— T.  C.  R.,  754. 

"At  this  day  is  the  last  time  of  the  Christian  Church,  which 
is  foretold  and  described  by  the  Lord  in  the  Evangelists,  and  in  the 
Revelation. 

"  That  all  those  things  which  the  Lord  spoke  with  the  disciples, 
(Matt,  xxiv.,  Mark  xiii.,  Luke  xxi.,)  were  said  concerning  the  last  time 
of  the  Christian  Church,  is  very  manifest  from  the  Revelation,  where 
the  like  things  are  foretold  concerning  the  consummation  of  the  age, 
and  concerning  his  coming;  which  all  are  particularly  explained  in  the 
Apocalypse  Revealed,  published  in  the  year  1776.  Now,  because  those 
things  which  the  Lord  said  concerning  the  consummation  of  the  age, 
and  concerning  his  coming,  before  the  disciples,  coincide  with  those 
which  He  afterward  revealed  in  the  Revelation  by  John,  concerning 
the  same  things,  it  is  clearly  manifest  that  He  meant  no  other  con- 
summation than  that  of  the  present  Christian  Church.  Besides,  it  is 
also  prophesied  in  Daniel  concerning  the  end  of  this  church;  where 
fore  the  Lord  says, '  When  ye  see  the  abomination  of  desolation  fore 
told  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  standing  in  the  holy  place;  whoso  readeth 
let  him  observe  it  well."— (Matt.  xxiv.  15.)     In  like  manner  also  in 


34 


THE   CONSUMMATION  OF   THE   AGE. 


THE  CONSUMMATION  OF   THE   AGE. 


35 


the  other  prophets.  That  the  Christian  Church,  such  as  it  is  at  this 
day,  is  consummated  and  vastated  to  such  a  degree,  cannot  be  seen  by 
those  on  earth,  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  its  falses;  the  rea- 
son is,  because  a  confirmation  of  the  false  is  a  denial  of  the  true; 
wherefore,  it,  as  it  were,  veils  the  understanding,  and  thereby  prevents 
the  entrance  of  anything  else,  which  might  pull  up  the  cords  and  stakes, 
with  which  it  has  built  and  formed  its  system,  as  a  strong  tent. — lb.  758. 

It  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  things  were  said  by  Sweden- 
borg  concerning  the  church  as  it  was  more  than  seventy  years 
a<^o.  Doubtless,  as  one  eflect  of  the  New  Dispensation,  ihe  minds 
of  men  generally  have  been  much  enlightened  upon  religious,  as 
upon  all  other  subjects  ;  so  that  the  doctrines,  and  consequently 
the  state  of  the  Christian  Church,  have  undergone  a  very  consid- 
erable modification  since  the  time  Swedenborg  wrote.  Yet  with 
all  the  change  for  the  better  which  has  taken  place  in  the  Church 
within  the  last  half  century,  there  are  many  pious  people  who  even 
now  mourn  over  the  desolation  of  Zion ;  men  who  see  clearly  that 
her  pristine  glory  has  departed  from  the  Church,  and  who,  in  anx- 
ious expectation  of  some  new  and  saving  power  —  with  eyes  long- 
ino-  to  see  her  salvation  —  are,  like  Simeon  of  old,  **  waiting-  for  the 
consolation  of  Israel. *'  Indeed,  there  is  a  pretty  general  percep- 
tion and  acknowledgment  among  Christians  and  anti-Christians 
of  the  present  day,  that  the  Church  is  in  a  broken,  distracted,  and 
forlorn  condition.  The  power  of  the  pulpit  —  of  religion  —  of  the 
Church  —  of  the  Bible  —  is  acknowledged  to  be  sadly  deficient  — 
almost  gone  ;  and  most  significant  allusions  are  frequently  made 
to  this  fact,  in  the  current  literature  of  the  day.  To  cite  only  a  few 
passages  indicative  of  the  general  perception,  and  the  deep  and 
wide-spread  feeling  on  this  subject,  among  the  best  class  of  minds. 

"  I  think,"  says  the  Rev.  R.  W.  Emerson,  "  no  man  can  go  with  his 
thoughts  about  him  into  one  of  our  churches,  without  feeling  that  what 
hold  the  public  worship  had  on  men  is  gone,  or  going.  It  has  lost  its 
grasp  on  the  affection  of  the  good,  and  the  fear  of  the  bad.  In  the 
country,  neighborhoods,  half  parishes  are  signing  off — to  use  the  local 
term.  It  is  already  beginning  to  indicate  character  and  religion  to 
withdraw  from  the  religious  meetings.  I  have  heard  a  devout  person, 
who  prized  the  Sabbath,  say  in  bitterness  of  heart,  *  On  Sundays  it 
seems  wicked  to  go  to  church.'  And  the  motive  that  holds  the  best 
there,  is  now  only  a  hope  and  a  waiting." — Address  before  the  Theologi- 
cal School  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  1838. 

Another  of  New  England's  earnest  divines,  seeing  the  lack  of 
the  genuine  Christian  spirit,  and  mourning  over  the  desolation  of 


1 


the  churches  around  him  —  mourning  that  there  are  so  many  men 
**  who  look  up  and  are  not  fed,  because  they  ask  bread  from  heaven, 
and  water  from  the  rock," — **men,  who,  with  throbbing  hearts, 
pray  for  the  spirit  of  healing  to  come  upon  the  waters,  which 
other  than  angels  have  long  kept  in  trouble  ;  men  who  have  lain 
long  time  sick  of  theology,  nothing  bettered  by  many  physicians," 
breaks  forth  in  the  following  strain  of  deep  and  earnest  feeling : 

"  May  God  send  us  some  new  manifestation  of  the  Christian  faith; 
that  shall  stir  men's  hearts  as  they  were  never  stirred;  some  new  Word 
which  shall  teach  us  what  we  are,  and  renew  us  all  in  the  image  of 
God  ;  some  better  life,  that  shall  fulfill  the  Hebrew  prophecy,  and  pour 
out  the  spirit  of  God  on  young  men  and  maidens,  and  old  men  and 
children;  which  shall  realize  the  word  of  Christ  and  send  the  Com- 
forter, who  shall  reveal  all  needed  things." — A  Discourse  on  the  Tran- 
stent  and  Permanent  in  Christianity,  by  Rev.  T.  Parker,  1841. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Bushnell,  an  eminent  orthodox  divine,  of  Hartford, 
(Connecticut,)  in  his  *'  Christian  Nurture,"  says: 

*'  Sometimes  Christian  parents  fail  of  success  in  the  religious  train- 
ing of  their  children,  because  the  church  counteracts  their  efforts  and 
example.  The  church  makes  a  bad  atmosphere  about  the  house  and 
the  poison  comes  in  at  the  doors  and  windows.  It  is  rent  by  divisions, 
burnt  up  by  fanaticism,  frozen  by  the  chill  of  a  worldly  spirit,  petrified 
in  a  rigid  and  dead  orthodoxy.  It  makes  no  element  of  genial  warmth 
and  love  about  the  child,  according  to  the  intention  of  Christ  in  its 
appointment,  but  gives  to  religion,  rather,  a  forbidding  aspect,  and 
thus,  instead  of  assisting  the  parent,  becomes  one  of  the  worst  impedi- 
ments to  his  success.  What  kind  of  element  the  world  makes  about 
the  child  is  of  little  consequence;  for  here  there  is  no  pretense  of  piety. 
But  when  the  school  of  Christ  itself  becomes  an  element  of  sin  and 
death,  the  child's  baptism  becomes  as  great  a  fiction  as  the  church  itself, 
and  the  arrangements  of  divine  mercy  fail  of  their  intended  power." 

The  Rev.  J.  W.  Brooks,  vicar  of  Clareborough,  England,  says : 

"  I  am  most  firmly  persuaded  that  we  are  living  in  that  awful  period 
designated  in  Scripture,  as  the  last  time,  and  the  last  days.  Every  suc- 
ceeding year  serves  to  increase  the  evidence  on  this  head,  and  to  give 
clearness,  and  precision,  and  intensity  to  those  signs  which  already  have 
been  noticed  by  commentators.  Even  worldly  men  are  so  affected  by 
the  signs  of  our  times,  as  to  feel  seriously  persuaded  that  some  tre- 
mendous crisis  is  at  hand.  It  therefore  more  especially  behooves  the 
professing  people  of  God  to  be  upon  the  watch-tower,  and  to  observe 
what  is  passing  around  them,  and  be  prepared  for  the  future,  that  the 
day  may  not  overtake  them  as  a  thief  in  the  night." — Elements  of 
Prophetical  Interpretation,  page  480. 


i 


36 


THE    CONSUMMATION  OP  THE   AGE. 


"As  to  Christianity,  doubtless  its  action  is  not  expended,  yei 
must  every  one  have  observed  that  the  Christian  religion  at  present 
affords  neither  base  nor  circumspection  to  modern  aspirations  after 
moral  verity.  *  *  Mind  seems  as  it  were  to  be  getting  loose  upon 
space.  It  reposes  on  no  religious  ultimates.  Those  even  who  have 
the  deepest,  the  most  immovable  conviction,  that  in  revelation  is  to 
be  found  the  only  true  moral  substratum  of  humanity  throughout  all  its 
modifications,  perceive,  at  the  same  time,  the  incommensurateness  of 
Christianty,  under  its  present  developments,  to  embrace  and  to  form  a 
rest  for  the  new  mental  developments  of  society. 

"  These  believing  men  look  for,  and  would  promote,  an  enlargement 
of  the  gospel  faith.  Whether  among  Hebrews,  Christians,  and  we 
miffht  add  Paffans,  the  mind  in  all  ages  of  the  world  has  had  its  moral 
and  religious  holdings  on  Biblical  revealed  truths,  more  or  less  purely, 
or  more  or  less  corruptly  conceived.  It  is  only  now  that  a  new  pheno- 
menon seems  to  be  emerging —  that  these  holdings  seem  to  he  giving  way, 

"  The  remedy  to  this,  on  the  one  hand  luxuriant,  and  on  the  other 
barren,  demoralization  of  the  understanding,  can  consist  only  in  a  fresh 
opening  out  of  Christianity  till  it  be  brought  into  its  own  proper  supe- 
rior relationship  to  the  spirit  of  the  age."  —  Blackwood's  Magazine, 

Another  English  periodical  says  : 

"  Then  when  the  spiritual  had  encroached  upon  the  civil,  and  had 
become  itself  civil  and  secular,  good  men  rose  up  against  it,  and  bad 
men  joined  them;  and  in  the  struggle  religion  was  destroyed.  With 
religious  obligation  fell  also  the  obligation  of  all  laws;  for  no  laws 
have  any  strength  but  that  which  is  derived  from  God.  And  though 
by  a  providence  from  God,  such  as  no  other  nation  has  experienced, 
somethincr  of  both  these  obligations  was  once  more  establislied  in  this 
country  over  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men,  both  were  so  weakened  and 
corrupted  that  religion  soon  gave  way,  and  nothing  but  human  and 
worldly  considerations  were  left  to  keep  men  in  their  line  of  duty. 

"  Hence  our  vices  and  faithlessness,  our  avarice  and  hard-hearted- 
ness,  our  neglect  of  the  poor  beneath  us;  our  secularized  clergy,  our 
political  dissenters,  our  abuse  of  ecclesiastical  patronage;  our  foolish, 
vulgar  exclusiveness,  which  has  severed  every  class  of  society  from 
those  above  and  below  it;  our  disrespect  to  governors;  our  disobedi- 
ence to  parents;  our  self-indulgence,  and  vanity,  and  extravagance, 
which  has  encumbered  our  states  with  debt.  Hence  our  morals  de- 
graded into  utilitarianism  —  our  philosophy  become  sensualism — our 
politics  debased  into  economy  —  our  sciences  confined  to  matter — our 
reason  misinterpreted  to  mean  logic  —  and  our  piety  stripped  from 
truth  and  made  matter  of  empty  form,  or  of  emptier  feeling.  We  have 
lost  sight  of  the  spiritual,  and  can  see  nothing  hut  the  material.  The 
Church  was  sacrificed,  and  nothing  but  the  State  could  be  seen;  and 
now  the  state  also  must  soon  be  lost." — Lon.  Quar,  Rev.,  Sept,  1840. 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF   THE   AGE. 


37 


And  the  same  writer,  speaking  of  society  as  it  exists  at  present 
in  a  country  which  illustrates  better  than  any  other,  perhaps,  the 
real  state  of  the  Christian  Church,  says  : 

•'  It  is  now  lying  like  a  long  buried  corpse,  which  the  air  has  not 
yet  reached,  and  its  lineaments  seem  perfect,  and  the  body  sound;  but 
if  it  should  please  God  in  his  anger  by  some  shock  to  lay  it  bare,  it 
will  crumble  to  dust.  Let  the  State  withhold  its  artificial  support 
from  the  Church,  and  with  the  exception  of  that  large  portion  which 
is  beginning  to  be  impregnated  and  held  together  by  a  true  revivifying 
spirit,  the  body  which  calls  itself  the  Church  will  fall  to  pieces." — Ibid, 
p.  245. 

Bishop  Warburton,  in  his  letters  to  his  friend  Bishop  Kurd, 
written  during  the  latter  half  of  the  last  century,  used  language 
like  the  following : 

"  If  you  live,  you  will  effect  what  T  attempted,  to  make  revelation 
understood,  which  we  are  ignorant  of  to  a  degree  that  will  hereafter  ap- 
pear amazing  to  you. 

"  The  divine  lyre  is  almost  silenced — the  great  moralities,  the  mea- 
sures of  duty,  and  the  distinctions  between  the  true  and  false  in  real 
life  seem  to  be  dissolved  or  dissolving  among  us.  A  true  taste,  it  must 
be  confessed,  is  wanting,  but  far  more  a  true  faith. 

This,  as  you  say,  is  an  age  of  real  darkness,  or  at  least  of  false  lights. 
If  you  should  die  in  the  present  state  of  things,  darkness  will  he  the 
hurier  of  the  dead  ;  there  will  not  be  light  enough  left  to  see  and  appre- 
hend our  loss." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Arnold,  the  distinguished  master  of  the  Rugby 
School,  and  one  of  the  best  thinkers  and  best  men  that  the  Anglican 
Church  can  boast  of,  writes  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Blackstone  thus  : 

*'  I  believe  that  the  '  day  of  the  Lord  is  coming,'  that  it  is  the  termi- 
nation of  one  of  the  grea.toiuviT  (Ages,)  of  the  human  race  —  whether 
the  final  one  of  all  or  not,  that  I  believe  no  created  being  knows  or  can 
know." 

And  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tucker : 

"  As  parties,  the  high  churchmen,  the  evangelicals,  and  the  dissen- 
ters, seem  to  me  almost  equally  bad.'^^ 

And  to  the  Rev.  T.  E.  Tyler  : 

"  The  Church,  as  it  note  stands,  no  human  power  can  save." 
These  are  the  honest  confessions  of  honest  minds  ;  and  it  would 
be  easy  to  fill  a  volume  with  extracts  from  the  various  theological 
and  ethical  writers  of  the  day,  similar  to  those  just  quoted.  There 
are  multitudes  on  both  continents  whose  hearts  respond  to  the  sen- 
timents here  uttered.     And  what  does  this  indicate  but  a  prettv 


ti 


i( 


38 


Tmc   CONSUMMATION    OF   THE    AOK. 


wide-Spread  acknowledgment,  even  among  Churchmen  themselves, 
that  **  the  glory  has  departed  from  Israel" — that  *'  beauty  has  fled 
from  the  daughter  of  Zion,'*  and  that  **  the  abomination  of  desola- 
tion spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet**  has  indeed  fallen  upon  the 
Church  ?  If  there  be  ground  and  reason  for  what  these  writers 
say  concerning  the  Church  as  it  now  is,  then  we  can,  without  much 
difficulty,  believe  what  Swedenborg  said  of  the  Church  at  the  time 
he  wrote.  We  can  believe  that  the  first  Christian  Dispensation  had 
been  lived  out,  and  that  the  Church  established  under  it,  had  con- 
sequently come  to  an  end. 

But  by  the  spiritual  consummation  of  the  Church  is  not  to  be 
understood  the  destruction  or  abandonment  of  the  external  thinors 
belonging  thereto  —  its  places  and  forms  of  worship,  and  religious 
ordinances.  All  these  may  be  preserved,  and  everything  belong- 
ing to  the  externals  of  religion  be  most  scrupulously  observed, 
while  the  spirit  of  Christianity  —  the  essential,  living  principles  of 
a  true  Church  —  genuine  charity  and  faith  —  may  be  wholly  want- 
ing. The  symbols  of  Christianity — the  outward  signs  of  a  church 
—  have  ever  existed  since  its  establishment.  But  do  we  not  know 
that  the  outside  of  a  church  may  appear  beautiful  as  a  whited  se- 
pulchre, while  dead  men's  bones  and  all  uncleanness  are  within  ? 
This  was  the  case  with  the  Jewish  Church  at  the  time  of  its  consum- 
mation. None  were  more  remarkable  for  their  external  piety  and 
religious  devotion  than  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  of  old.  They 
made  broad  their  phylacteries,  and  enlarged  the  borders  of  their 
garments,  and  made  long  prayers.    Yet  what  severe  denunciations 

did  the  Lord  utter  against  them  !     (See  Mat.  xxiii.) 

It  is  the  motive  that  determines  the  quality  of  men's  deeds.  If 
they  are  done  for  show,  and  thus  from  a  selfish  motive,  their  inter- 
nal quality  is  corrupt,  however  good  the  deeds  may  be  in  appear- 
ance. Therefore  the  persons  who  do  them  may  be  a  Church 
outwardly,  but  not  inwardly y  hence  not  really  ;  i.  e.  they  may  have 
faith,  charity,  piety,  and  worship  in  their  outward  life,  which  ap- 
pears before  men,  but  nothing  of  these  in  their  hearts  or  inward 
life,  which  appears  before  God.  Like  the  Jews  at  the  time  of  the 
Lord's  advent,  they  may  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and 
of  the  platter,  while  within  they  are  full  of  extortion  and  excess. 
They  may  pay  tithe  of  mint,  and  anise,  and  cummin,  but  omit  the 
weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mercy,  and  faith  :  and 
while  building  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  garnishing  the 
sepulchres  of  the  righteous,  they  may  be  witnesses  unto  themselves, 


THE    CONSUMMATION   OF    THE   AGE. 


31* 


by  virtue  of  their  internal  quality,  that  they  are  the  children  of 
them  that  killed  the  prophets. 

We  see,  therefore,  that  the  external  form  of  a  church  may  exist, 
after  the  internal  principles  of  heavenly  life  have  become  extin- 
guished. Its  body  may  remain  awhile,  after  its  spirit  has  fled. — 
When  the  fountain  ceases  to  flow,  the  excavation  which  received 
and  contained  the  water,  does  not  suddenly  disappear.  The  spiri- 
tual fig-tree  is  a  fig-lree  still,  though  it  bear  no  fruit :  yet  ever  is  it 
accursed  of  God,  while  it  brings  forth  nothing  "but  leaves  only." 

What  we  mean  by  the  consummation  of  the  Church,  must  now 
be  well  understood.  When  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  Christian 
reli<non — doctrines  concerning  the  Lord,  the  Trinity,  the  Atonement, 
Redemption,  Resurrection,  the  Sacred  Scripture,  Regeneration  and 
Life,  have  become  so  wide  of  the  truth,  that  they  do  not  enlighten 
but  darken  the  human  understanding  ;  and  when  men,  reading  the 
Scripture  under  the  influence  of  these  darkening  doctrines, 
do  not  receive  therefrom  genuine  truth,  but  truth  falsified  ;  and 
when,  on  account  of  fundamental  false  doctrines,  the  Divine  Word 
is  so  misunderstood  and  falsified  by  the  great  body  of  the  Church, 
(especially  by  those  whose  province  it  is  to  teach  in  spiritual 
things, )  that  it  can  no  longer  be  the  means  of  enlightening  men  in 
the  pathway  to  heaven,  then  the  Church  is  consummated.  And 
we  submit  for  the  consideration  of  reflecting  minds,  whether  any- 
thincr  less  than  a  New  Revelation  can  remove  these  false  doctrines, 
and  thus  prepare  the  way  for  the  establishment  of  a  New  Church. 

But  let  it  not  be  inferred  from  what  has  been  said,  that  we  be- 
lieve, or  that  Swedenborg  teaches,  that  there  are  no  good  people  — 
no  o-enuine  Christians  —  who  profess  the  doctrines  of  the  now  con- 
summated Church.  On  the  contrary,  our  illumined  scribe  author- 
izes the  belief  that  there  are  great  numbers  in  all  the  sects  in 
Christendom,  who  have  in  their  hearts  and  lives  a  much  purer  the- 
oloo-y  than  that  which  is  usually  found  in  books  or  taught  from  the 
pulpit.  He  teaches  that  there  are  many  individuals  nominally  of 
the  Old  Church,  who,  because  they  have  the  good  of  life  as  an  end, 
and  shun  evils  as  sins  against  God,  are  not  permanently  injured 
by  the  false  doctrines  of  the  church  to  which  they  belong.  Thus 
he  says  : 

"  Such  is  the  quality  of  good,  that  evil  cannot  be  adjoined  to  it,  for 
good  shuns  evil,  and  evil  dreads  good,  as  hell  heaven  ;  wherefore  no 
conjunction  of  them  is  given  :  but  as  to  what  concerns  truth,  it  is  of 
Buch  a  quality,  that  the  false  may  be  adjoined  to  it,  yet  not  the  false  in 


40 


THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE. 


THE  CONSUMMATION  OF  THE  AGE. 


41 


H^hich  evil  is,  but  in  which  good  is,  such  as  appertains  to  infants  and 
to  boys  and  girls  whilst  they  are  yet  in  innocence,  and  to  well-disposed 
Gentiles  w^ho  are  in  ignorance  ;  and  such  as  appertains  to  all,  who  are 
in  the  sense  of  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  remain  in  the  doctrine 
thence  derived,  and  still  have  the  good  of  life  for  an  end  ;  for  this  good 
as  an  end,  drives  away  all  the  malevolence  of  the  false,  and  by  appli- 
cation forms  it  into  some  resemblance  of  the  truth."  —  A.  C,  9809. 

He  further  says  *'  that  the  Church  of  the  Lord  is  with  all  in  the 
universal  terrestrial  globe,  who  live  in  good  according  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  their  religion  ;**  and  that  "  (he  greater  part  of  those  who 
are  born  within  the  churches  where  the  doctrine  of  faith  alone 
and  of  justification  thereby  is  received,  believe  no  otherwise  than 
that  faith  alone  is  to  think  concerning  God  and  salvation,  and  how 
they  ought  to  live;  and  that  justification  is  to  live  before  God;" 
hence  **  their  faith  and  life  are  from  the  Word.*'  —  Ap.  Ex.,  233. 

We  will  now  direct  our  attention  to  the  new  doctrine  announced 
by  Swedenborg  on  this  subject,  with  the  view  of  ascertaining  how 
far  it  is  in  agreement  with  the  true  import  of  Scripture. 

And  we  remark  first,  that  the  texts  in  which  the  consummation 
of  the  Age  and  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  are  announced, 
belong  to  the  prophetical  parts  of  the  Word.  Now  one  of  the  ac- 
knowledged canons  of  criticism  among  biblical  commentators,  is, 
that  the  precise  manner  in  which  a  prophecy  is  to  be  fulfilled,  is 
never  understood  until  after  its  accomplishment.  If,  therefore,  this 
rule  of  criticism  be  a  sound  one,  it  would  follow  that  the  prophe- 
cies concerning  the  consummation  of  the  Age,  and  of  the  Lord's 
second  appearing  are  to  be  fulfilled  in  seme  manner  different  from 
what  the  Church  has  expected.  For  to  say  that  they  are  to  find 
their  fulfillment  in  the  destruction  of  the  material  world  and  the 
personal  appearing  of  the  Lord  upon  the  material  clouds,  is 
to  deny  this  rule  of  criticism,  and  to  insist  that  the  precise 
manner  in  which  a  prophecy  is  to  be  fulfilled  can  be  known 
beforehand. 

Now  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  this  rule  be  a  correct  one, 
we  have  only  to  consider  how  it  was  with  regard  to  the  predictions 
concerning  our  Lord's  first  advent.  Were  they  understood  before 
their  fulfillment  ?  The  whole  Jewish  nation  expected  a  Messiah  ; 
but  did  they  form  right  conceptions  concerning  his  character,  or 
the  nature  of  the  kingdom  he  was  coming  to  establish  ?  They 
read  in  Isaiah  that  *'  The  Prince  of  Peace  "  was  to  be  born  amon^' 


•*t 


them,  who  would  take  the  government  upon  his  shoulder,  and 
would  break  '*  the  yoke  of  their  nation's  burden,  and  the  staff  of 
his  shoulder,  the  rod  of  his  oppressor,  as  in  the  days  of  Midian ; " 
and  that,  **  of  the  increase  of  [his]  government  and  peace  [there 
would  be]  no  end,  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  king- 
dom, to  order  it,  and  to  establish  it  with  judgment  and  with  jus- 
tice, from  henceforth  even  forever." — (ix.  4,  6,  7.)  And  in 
Jeremiah,  **  Behold,  the  days  come,  sauh  the  Lord,  that  I  will 
raise  unto  David  a  righteous  Branch,  and  a  King  shall  reign  and 
prosper,  and  shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth." — 
(xxiii.  5.)  But  did  they  understand  what  kind  of  a  King  and 
government  were  here  denoted  ?  By  no  means.  They  interpreted 
these  and  similar  texts  agreeably  to  their  own  carnal  conceptions 
and  selfish  desires.  Accordingly  they  expected  a  Messiah  in  the 
character  of  a  great  warrior,  who  would  deliver  them,  not  from 
the  dominion  of  evil  lusts,  for  they  panted  after  no  such  deliver- 
ance —  but  from  the  thraldom  of  a  foreign  government,  and  who 
would  make  their  nation  victorious  over  all  the  nations  upon  the 
earth.  So  little  indeed  did  they  understand  the  true  meaning  of 
the  prophecies  concerning  Him  —  so  gross  and  literal  was  the  in- 
terpretation of  them  by  the  Jewish  Rabbis,  that  they  did  not 
know  'the  true  Messiah  when  He  appeared,  but  persecuted,  re- 
jected, and  put  Him  to  death.  And  even  the  twelve  apostles, 
whom  He  selected  to  be  his  immediate  followers,  were  so  deeply 
imbued  with  the  prevailing  idea  of  their  countrymen,  that,  on  one 
occasion,  they  disputed  which  of  them  should  be  the  greatest,  or 
should  enjoy  the  most  honorable  post  in  his  kingdom  —  evidently 
supposing  it  was  an  earthly  and  temporal  kingdom  that  he  had 
come  to  establish.— (Mark  ix,  34.)  Nor  did  they  wholly  abandon 
this  idea  at  the  time  of  his  crucifixion.  For  even  after  his  resui- 
rection,  we  find  them  inquiring,  ''  Lord,  wilt  thou  at  this  time- 
restore  acrain  the  kinn^dom  to  Israel  ?  " — (Acts  i.  6.) 

And  when  the  Apostles  had  received  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
even  this  did  not  at  once  communicate  to  them  a  true  understand- 
ing of  the  prophecies,  nor  all  the  truths  of  the  first  Christian  dis- 
pensation ;  for  they  remained  for  a  long  time  under  the  persuasion 
that  the  gospel  was  to  be  preached  only  to  the  Jews.  It  was  not 
until  seven  or  eight  years  after  the  Lord's  ascension  that  Peter  was 
brought  to  believe  that  it  was  to  be  preached  to  the  Gentiles  also*, 
and  then  it  required  a  vision  and  special  revelation  to  induce  him 
to  believe  it.     (See  Acts  x.)     And  it  was  not  until  nearly  ten 

4 


42 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


THE    CONStJMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


43 


years  after  this,  that  they  were  willing  to  exempt  the  Gentile  con- 
verts from  the  observance  of  the  law  of  Moses  concerning  circum- 
cision, as  appears  from  Acts  xv. 

If,  therefore,  the  true  meaning  of  the  prophecies  concerning  the 
Lord's  first  advent,  was  not  understood  by  any  until  after  their 
fulfillment,  there  is,  at  least,  a  strong  presumption  that  those  which 
relate  to  his  second  coming  would  not  be  understood  beforehand. 
And  if  it  was  only  by  degrees  that  the  Apostles  came  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  some  essential  truths  in  the  Christian  system,  and  were 
enabled  to  understand  the  precepts  and  prophecies  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament as  they  applied  to  the  first  Christian  dispensation,  is  it 
strange  that  the  prophecies  in  the  New  Testament  relating  to  the 
Lord's  second  advent  at  a  period  then  far  distant,  and  to  his  revival, 
at  such  second  advent,  of  pure  Christianity  after  it  had  suffered 
decline  and  perversion  —  is  it  strange,  I  ask,  that  these  prophecies 
should  have  been  at  that  time  misunderstood  in  the  church  ? 
And  that  they  were  misunderstood  even  by  the  Apostles,  is  evi- 
dent from  several  passages  in  their  Epistles,  which  show  that  they 
expected  a  literal  fulfillment  of  them  in  their  own  day  and  genera- 
tion. To  instance  only  one  or  two  from  Paul's  Epistles.  Speak- 
ing upon  this  subject  in  his  first  letter  to  the  Thessalonians,  he 
says  :  "  We  who  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of  thfe  Lord, 
shall  not  prevent  them  that  sleep." — (iv.  15.)  And  again  he  says, 
V.  17,  '*Then  we  who  are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught  up 
together  with  them  in  the  clouds  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air." 
Now,  if  the  Apostle  intended  that  this  language  should  be  under- 
stood according  to  its  literal  import,  we  are  warranted  in  saying 
thkt  he  cherished  expectations  upon  this  subject  which  were  never 
realized. 

But  the  mission  of  the  apostles  was  to  proclaim  the  Lord's yir5^ 
advent,  and  the  discoveries  which  were  proper  to  that ;  and  it 
would  not  have  been  consistent  with  the  order  always  observed  in 
the  Divine  economy,  to  have  informed  them  equally  well  concern- 
ing the  circumstances  of  his  second  appearing.  To  teach  any  of 
the  particulars,  either  in  regard  to  the  time,  place,  or  manner  of 
the  Lord's  second  coming,  formed  no  part  of  their  mission. 

We  speak  therefore  according  to  a  well-established  rule  of  bib- 
lical criticism,  when  we  say  that  the  prophecies  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment concerning  the  Lord's  second  appearing,  will  be  fulfilled  in 
some  manner  different  from  what  has  been  expected  in  the  church. 
The  spiritual  fulfillment  of  them  is  one  way  in  which  their  accom- 


1  t 


4- 


\ 


plishment  has  not  been  expected.  Is  this  the  fulfillment  which  the 
Lord  intended  ?  Or  does  the  consummation  of  the  Age,  foretold  in 
the  Evanfifelists,  refer  to  the  consummated  state  of  the  first  Chris- 
tian  church,  as  taught  in  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  ? 

Those  who  reflect  sufficiently  upon  the  great  end  for  which  the 
Lord  came  into  the  world  and  exhibited  Himself  in  a  natural  hu- 
man form,  cannot  fail  to  perceive  in  the  outset,  that  there  is,  at 
least,  a  strong  presumption  in  favor  of  this  view.  That  end  was 
spiritual.  It  was  because  of  the  corrupt,  perverted,  and  utterly 
consummated  state  of  the  Jewish  church,  that  He  came  ;  and  in 
order  to  make  a  further  revelation  of  Himself  or  his  truth  to  men, 
and  to  gain,  through  the  medium  of  his  glorified  Humanity,  new 
power  and  influence  over  human  minds.  His  first  advent,  there- 
fore, looked  to  an  end  purely  spiritual ;  for  it  had  exclusive  re- 
gard to  man's  deliverance  from  the  infernal  bondage  of  false  doc- 
trines and  evil  lusts.  He  taught  that  spiritual  cleanness  —  purity 
of  thought  and  of  aff'ection  —  is  the  proper  end  of  life  for  every  man 
to  propose  to  himself.  His  language  was,  **Seek  ye  first — \i.  e, 
as  a  thing  of  primary  importance]  —  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
righteousness  ;  and  all  [other]  things  shall  be  added  unto  you." 
Consequently  we  should  suppose  that  everything  which  he  said 
and  did  while  on  earth,  must,  when  rightly  understood,  be  seen 
to  have  primary  regard  to  the  state  of  the  church  and  the  essential 
principles  of  heavenly  life  with  man.  And  since  the  Lord  is  evei 
the  same,  we  should  suppose  that  his  second  coming  would  have 
reference  to  the  same  great  end  as  his  first,  viz.  to  the  spiritual 
condition  of  the  church.  Accordingly,  as  we  are  taught*  by  Swe- 
denborg,  when  the  Lord  speaks  of  the  consummation  of  the  Age, 
He  refers  to  a  full  state  of  the  Christian  Church,  when,  through 
successive  perversions  and  falsifications  of  the  Word,  it  would  spir- 
itually come  to  its  end,  and  be  succeeded  by  a  New  Church ;  and 
that  the  wars,  famines,  pestilences,  earthquakes,  &c.,  which  it  is 
declared  should  precede  that  event,  refer  to  the  famishing  and  des- 
olate state  of  the  church  in  respect  to  goodness  and  truth,  and  to 
the  various  controversies  and  spiritual  changes  which  she  would 
have  to  pass  through  before  her  final  consummation. 

But  we  will  see  in  what  language  the  consummation  of  the  Jew- 
ish Church  is  foretold  by  the  prophets.  Isaiah  speaks  of  a  "day 
of  visitation  "  to  the  church,  and  says,  in  reference  to  the  Lord's 
advent,  that  **  the  light  of  Israel  shall  be  for  a  fire,  and  his  Holy  One 
for  a  flame  ;  and  it  shall  burn  and  devour  his  thorns  and  his  briers 


44 


THE   CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


45 


in  one  day'*  (x.  3,  17.)  ;  and  in  the  same  chapter  it  is  written, 
"  A  remnant  shall  return,  a  remnant  of  Jacob,  to  the  mighty  God  ; 
for  though  the  people  of  Israel  be  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  a  rem- 
nant of  them  shall  return  :  the  consummation  [or  destruction']  decreed 
shall  overflow  with  righteousness  ;  for  the  Lord  Jehovih  Zebaioth 
maketh  a  consummation  and  decision  [or  a  destruction  determined 
upon]  in  the  midst  of  the  whole  earth.'* 

Now  that  the  consummation  or  destruction  here  mentioned,  is  used 
in  reference  to  the  Jewish  Ciiurch  which  was  consummated  at  the 
time  of  the  Lord's  advent,  is  evident  from  what  we  read  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  chapter  immediately  following :  "And  there  shall 
come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  branch  shall 
grow  out  of  his  roots  ;  and  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon 
him,  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  spirit  of  counsel 
and  miaht,  the  spirit  of  knowledge,  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 
And  righteousness  shall  be  the  girdle  of  his  loins,  and  faithfulness 
the  girdle  of  his  reins.''     Again,  the  same  prophet,  speaking  of 
the  corrupt  state  of  the  Jewish  Church,  says,  -Now,  therefore,  be 
ye  not  mockers,  lest  your  bands  be  made  strong  ;  for  I  have  heard 
from  the  Lord  Jehovih  Zebaioth  a  consummation  and  decision  [or  a 
destruction  decreed]  upon  the  whole  earth."  (xxviii.  22.)     That  it 
is  a  consummation  of  the  then  existing  Church  which  is  here  spo- 
ken of,  is  manifest  from  the  following  passage  which  occurs  in  the 
same  chapter,  and  only  four  verses  preceding  the  one  just  quoted. 
"Wherefore  hear  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  ye  scornful  men,  that 
rule  this  people  which  is  in  Jerusalem.     Because  ye  have  said, 
^  We  have  made  a  covenant  with  death,  and  with  hell  are  we  at 
agreement ;  when  the  overflowing  scourge  shall  pass  through  it 
shall  not  come  unto  us  ;  for  we  have  made  lies  our  refuge,  and  un- 
der falsehood  have  we  hid  ourselves.     Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah,  *  Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation  stone,  a 
tried  stone,  a  precious  comer  [stone,]  a  sure  foundation  ;  he  that 
believeth  shall  not  make  haste.     Judgment  also,  will  I  lay  to  the 
line,  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet ;  and  the  hail  shall  sweep 
away  the  refuge  of  lies,  and  the  waters  shall  overflow  the  hiding- 
place."  (xxviii.   14,   15,   16,   17.)     It   is    evident  that   this    was 
said  in  reference  to  the  Jewish  Church. 

Again,  in  the  first  chapter  of  Zephaniah,  where  the  approaching 
end  of  the  Jewish  Church  is  foretold  in  these  words  :  *•  The  great 
day  of  the  Lord  is  near,  a  day  of  wrath,  a  day  of  trouble  and  dis- 
tress, a  day  of  wasteness  and  desolation,  a  day  of  darkness  and 


*% 


gloominess,  a  day  of  clouds  and  thick  darkness,"  (i.  14,  15.)  -it 
•is  added,  "  but  the  whole  land  shall  be  devoured  by  the  fire  of  his 
jealousy,  because  he  will  make  a  consummation  —  surely  a  sudden 
destruction  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth."  {v.  18.)  Likewise 
in  Daniel,  where  Messiah's  advent  is  treated  of,  we  read,  '*  Know, 
therefore,  and  understand,  from  the  going  forth  of  the  command- 
ment to  restore  and  to  build  Jerusalem,  unto  the  Messiah  the 
Prince,  [shall  be]  seven  weeks,  and  threescore  and  two  weeks  ; 
and  for  the  overspreading  of  abominations  He  shall  make  desolate, 
and  until  the  consummation  decreed,  it  shall  drop  upon  the  devasta- 
tion."* (ix.  25,  25.) 

Here  and  elsewere  in  the  prophets,  we  find  language  employed, 
foretelling^-  the  end  of  the  Jewish  Church,  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's 
first  advent,  similar  to  that  used  in  the  Evangelists,  where  his  se- 
cond coming  is  predicted.  The  conclusion,  therefore  may  be  easi- 
ly and  fairly  drawn,  that,  by  the  consummation  of  the  Age  spoken 
of  in  the  Evangelists,  is  denoted  the  end  or  consummation  of  the 
first  Christian  Church. 

Ao-ain:  in  one  of  the  texts  cited  above,  "a  consummation  and 
decision  upon  the  whole  earth  "  is  spoken  of;  and  in  another  it  is 
said,  "  the  whole  land  shall  be  devoured  by  the  fire  of  God's  jeal- 
ousy," &c.  In  the  original  Hebrew  language,  the  word  here  trans- 
lated earth  is  the  same  as  that  translated  land.  Now  in  the  lan- 
guage of  correspondence,  in  which,  according  to  Swedenborg,  the 
Sacred  Scripture  is  composed  throughout,  earth  or  land  signifies  the 
church  ;  and /re  denotes  love  either  good  or  evil.  Here,  because 
it  is  the  fire  of  God's  jealousy ,  it  denotes  the  infernal  love  of  self; 
for  this  it  is  which  consumes  and  destroys  all  heavenly  principles  in 
human  minds,  and  thus  ''devours  "  the  church  or  *'  the  whole  land." 
The  oTound  of  this  signification  of  fire  in  the  Word,  will  appear 
more  clearly  when  we  come  to  treat  of  the  Science  of  Correspond- 
ences, and  explain  the  laws  of  a  divine  composition. 

*The  word  consummation  does  not  occur  in  our  common  English  version, 
except  in  one  of  the  texts  here  cited,  but  instead  of  it,  the  word  consump- 
tion or  riddance  is  employed.  But  the  same  Hebrew  word  rhi  (kalah)  occurs 
in  each  of  them,  and  signifies  completion,  consumption^  destruction.  It  also 
comes  from  a  root  which  signifies  to  finish,  to  complete,  to  waste,  to  destroy  ; 
and  when  used  with  n^"inj"l  (^enefieratsah,)  as  is  the  case  in  nearly  all  the 
above  texts,  they  together  denote  destruction  and  decree,  or  destruction  decreed. 
(See  Gesenius'  Hebrew  and  English  Lexicon.)  Moreover,  the  word  kalah, 
in  the  text  from  Daniel,  is  translated  consummation  in  our  common  version  ; 
and  as  this  word  expresses  the  exact  meaning  of  the  original,  we  have 
employed  it  in  each  of  the  other  texts  also. 


46 


THE    CONSUMMATION   OF    THE     AOlC. 


That  earth  and  land  are  used  in  the  Word  to  signify  the  church, 
appears  evident  from  many  passages.  To  instance  only  a  few  : 
'*  Behold  Jehovah  maketh  the  earth  empty  ;  and  maketh  it  waste, 
and  turneth  it  upside  down/'  (Isa.  xxiv.  1.)  **The  earth  is  ut- 
terly broken  down,  the  earth  is  clean  dissolved,  the  earth  is  moved 
exceedingly.  The  earth  shall  reel  to  and  fro  like  a  drunkard,  and 
shall  be  removed  like  a  cottage  ;  and  the  transgression  thereof 
(mark  —  the  transgression  of  the  earth)  shall  be  heavy  upon  it  ; 
and  it  shall  fall,  {i.  ^.,  the  earth  shall  fall.)  (xxiv,  19,  20.)  "  Be- 
hold the  day  of  Jehovah  cometh,  cruel  both  with  wrath  and  fierce 
anger,  to  lay  the  land  desolate  ;  and  the  earth  shall  remove  out  of 
her  place,  (xiii.  9,  13.)  **  Then  [i.  e.y  when  David  called  upon 
Jehovah  and  was  heard]  the  earth  shook  and  trembled.*'.  (Psalm 
xviii.  6,  7.)  "  Let  the  earth  hear,  and  all  that  is  therein.*'  (Isa. 
xxxiv.  1.)  **  Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  inherit  the 
earth."  (Matt.  v.  5.) 

Now  is  it  not  plain  that  the  material  earth  cannot  be  meant  in 
such  passages  as  these  ?  as  where  it  is  said  to  be  "  turned  upside 
down,"  to  "reel  to  and  fro  like  a  drunkard,"  to  be  **  removed  out 
of  her  place,"  &c.  But  if  by  earth  we  understand  the  church, 
which,  by  means  of  falses  and  evils,  is  clean  dissolved,  turned  up- 
side down,  moved  out  of  its  place,  <fec.,  then  these  passages  become 
intelligible.  Then,  also,  we  can  understand  what  is  meant  by 
**  the  transgression  of  the  earth,"  and  also  by  the  words,  *'  Blessed 
are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth."  The  earth  here 
refers,  primarily,  to  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  signifies  the  spirit- 
ual Canaan,  or  heaven  and  the  church.  And  because  only  those 
who  are  of  a  meek  and  lowly  mind  can  receive  the  goods  and 
truths  of  heaven,  or  those  angelic  loves  which  are  the  essential 
things  of  a  true  church,  as  they  are  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
therefore  the  meek  are  said  to  be  "  blessed."  They  are  blessed, 
for  they  enjoy  the  delights  of  a  heavenly  inheritance. 

Again,  we  read  of  the  land  being  *'  darkened''  through  the 
wrath  of  Jehovah  (Isa.  ix.  19.)  ;  and  God's  people  are  called  a 
**  delightsome  land.''  (Mai.  iii.  12.)  And  in  Isaiah,  where  Mes- 
siah's advent  is  foretold,  it  is  said  of  the  church,  in  reference  to 
her  renovation  and  purification  consequent  upon  that  event,  **  and 
the  Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy  glory ; 
and  thou  shalt  be  called  by  a  new  name,  which  the  mouth  of  Je- 
hovah shall  name.  Thou  shalt  also  be  a  crown  of  glory  in  the 
hand  of  Jehovah,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy  God. 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


47 


Thou  shalt  no  more  be  termed  Forsaken  ;  neither  shall  thy  land 
any  more  be  termed  Desolate  ;  but  thou  shalt  be  called  Hephzibah, 
(L  e.,  my  delight  is  in  her)  and  thy  land  Beulah  {i.  e.  married)  ; 
for  Jehovah  delighteth  in  thee,  and  thy  land  shall  he  married." 
(Ixii.  2,  3,  4.)  The  land  married  ?  Yes  — •  but  the  sjnriiual  land 
—  the  church,  married  to  her  true  Husband.  For  when  there  is  a 
perfect  union  of  love  and  wisdom  in  human  minds,  i.  e.  when  men 
love  to  do  as  the  divine  truth  teaches,  then  they  have  within  them- 
selves the  heavenly  marriage  of  good  and  truth.  They  are  then 
a  true  church— the  -delight"  of  Jehovah  ;  and  as  -the  Bride, 
the  Lamb's  wife,"  they  are  conjoined  to  the  Lord,  who  is  the  Hus- 
band of  the  Church.     Then  the  land  is  married 

We  also  read  that  -the  word  of  Jehovah  layeth  the  foundation 
of  the  earth,  and  formeth  the  spirit  of  man  within  him.  (Zech. 
xii.  1.)  And  of  the  wicked  it  is  said  -  They  know  not,  neither 
will  they  understand  :  they  walk  on  in  darkness  ;  all  the  founda- 
tions of  the  earth  are  out  of  course."  (Ps.  Ixxxii.  5.)  Inasmuch 
as  earth  denotes  the  church,  it  is  evident  that  the  foundations  of 
the  earth  must  denote  those  primary  doctrines  or  fundamental 
truths,  upon  which  every  thing  of  the  church  in  man  rests.  And 
since  in  every  true  church,  these  must  be  derived  from  the  Word 
of  God,  therefore  it  is  said  that  -  his  Word  layeth  the  foundation 
of  the  earth."  And  when  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  a  church 
are  false,  it  is  plain  that  -  all  the  foundations  of  the  earth  are  out 

of  course."  .     . 

We  also  learn  from  this  spiritual  meaning  of  earth,  what  is  sig- 
nified by  the  flood  of  waters  mentioned  in  Genesis,  which  de- 
stroyed every  living  susbtance  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth,  (vii. 
23.)  Waters,  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  signify  either 
truths  or  falses,  according  to  the  subject  treated  of.  Hence,  by  a 
flood  of  waiers  destroying  every  living  substance  from  off  the  face 
of  the  earth,  is  denoted  such  an  accumulation  of  falses  in  the 
church,  as  to  overwhelm  and  destroy  all  genuine  good  and  truth  — 
"  every  living  substance  "  —  thus  all  spiritual  life,  with  the  men  of 
that  church.  By  Noah,  and  the  creatures  saved  alive  with  him  in 
the  ark,  are  denoted  the  few  remains  of  the  essential  things  of  a 
church,  which  were  preserved  and  kept  alive  by  the  providence 

of  God. 

This,  therefore,  about  the  flood,  does  not  contain  true  history, 
as  has  commonly  been  supposed.  And  the  discoveries  of  modern 
science  warrant'the  belief  that  there  has  never  been  a  universal 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


49 


i8 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


deluge  of  natural  waters  upon  the  face  of  this  our  natural  earth. 
But  In  its  spiritual  sense,  it  does  contain  a  true  history  of  the 
consummation  of  the  Ancient  Church,  and  of  every  similar  church 
deluged  and  destroyed  by  false  doctrines  originating  in  evil  lusts. 
The^'pure  and  living  principles  of  heaven  always  perish  when 
they   suffer  inundation  from  the  f^ilse  principles  that    flow  from 

^ell. 

From  what  has  now  been  said  concerning  the  true  meanmg  of 
earth  when  mentioned  in  the  Scripture,  we  may  form  a  correct  idea 
of  what  is  meant  by  the  new  earth  mentioned  in  the  Apocalypse, 
which  John  saw  when  the  former  earth  had  passed  away.  (xxi.  1.) 
This  text  has  generally  been  taken  in  its  literal  sense.     And  ac- 
cordingly it  has  been  commonly  understood  among  Christians,  that 
the  passing  away,  or  destruction  of    this  natural  earth,  and  the 
creation  of  a  new  one,  is  here  taught.     But  then,  to  be  consistent, 
we  should  interpret  literally  all  that  follows  in  the  same  chapter. 
Then  we  should  have  not  only  a  lake  of  literal  fire  and  brimstone, 
wherein  the  wicked  would  be  cast  and  find  their  second  death 
(which,  indeed,  is  the  doctrine  that  has  been  generally  believed), 
but  we  should  have  a  literal  city  descending  from  the  visible  hea- 
vens above  our  heads,    whose  hight  would   be  twelve  thousand 
furlongs,  or  fifteen  hundred  miles  —  more  than  thirty  times  the 
hight  of  our  atmosphere  !     For  this  is  the  measure  of  the  length 
an'd  breadth  of  the  city  ;  and  it  is  said  that  -  the  length,  and  the 
breadth,  and  the  hight  of  it  are  equal."     And  the  measure  of  its 
wall,  a  hundred  forty  and  four  cubits,  is  said  to  be  *'  the  measure 
of  a  man,  i,  e.  of  an  angel.'' 

Can  any  man  in  his  senses  really  believe  this  ?  —  Believe  that 
the  Lord  will,  at  some  future  time,  send  down  from  the  visible 
heavens  a  hteral  city,  built  of  precious  stones,  with  golden  pave- 
ments, and  with  walls  fifteen  hundred  miles  high  ?  And  that  the 
measure  of  an  angel  is,  literally,  "  a  hundred  forty  and  four 
cubits  ?  '*  And  yet  the  Scripture  does  as  really  and  as  plainly 
teach  all  this,  as  that  this  natural  earth  will  one  day  be  destroyed. 
The  one  conclusion  is  reached  just  as  legitimately  as  the  other, 
and  by  the  application  of  the  same  rule  of  interpretation.  And 
it  is  therefore  fair  to  conclude  that  one  is  just  as  absurd  as  the 
other.     But  the  Word  of  God,  rightly  interpreted,  teaches  neither 

of  these  things. 

How  much  more  agreeable,  not  only  with  sound  philosophy, 
enlightened  reason,  and  all  we  know  of  the  order  of  Providence, 


but  with  the  general  tenor  of  the  Scripture,  is  the  teaching  of  the 
New  Church  on  this  subject.     Understanding  the  earth  to  signify 
the  church,  then  by  the  new  earth  which  John  saw,  and  the  pass- 
ing away  of  the  .former  earth,  must  be  denoted  the  establishment 
of°a  New  Church,  and  the  passing  away  of  the  Old.     The  things 
of  a  church,  or  of  that  which  is  so  called,  may  consist  of  merely 
human  imaginings  ;  i.  e.  of  false  doctrines,  wherein  men  have  con- 
firmed themselves  from  the  merely  literal  sense  of  the  Word. 
But  when  genuine  truth  descends  from  heaven  into  human  minds, 
in  such  a  manner  that  the  doctrines  once  believed  to  be  true  are 
seen  to  be  only  imaginary  and  false,  then  these  doctrines  are  over- 
thrown  and  rejected  ;  and  the  things  which  appertain  to  a  true 
church  are  received  in  their  place.     Thus  the  former  earth  passes 
away,  and  the  new  earth  appears. 

But  as  every  natural  phenomenon  is  the  effect  of  some  spiritual 
cause,  so  any  change  in  the  state  of  the  church  upon  earth  must 
be  the  result  of  a  corresponding  change  in  the  state  of  the  church 
in  the  spiritual  world.     Therefore  the  passing  away  of  the  former 
earth,  and  the  appearance  of  a  new  one,  are  an  effect  consequent 
upon  that  change  in  the  world  of  spirits  which  is  denoted  by  the 
passincr  away  of  the  former,  and  the  appearance  of  a  new  heaven.* 
Then  the  Revelator  describes  the  descent  of  true  doctrme  and 
its  reception  by  human  minds,  under  the  image  of  -  the  Holy 
City,  New  Jerusalem,  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven.'' 
The  city  sicrnifies  the  church  as  to  its  doctrine  ;  and  masmuch  as 
all  true  doctrine  comes  down  to  man  from  the  Lord  through  the 
medium  of  the  Word,  therefore  this  was  representatively  exhibited 
to  John  by  the  descent  of  a  city.f     Consequently  all  the  things 


*  See  this  subject  more  fully  explained  in  the  Last  JudgmenU  by  Sweden- 
borg.  n.  65 — 74. 

+  That  the  city  which  is  here  described,  does  not  mean  a  literal  city  but  tlie 
Cllurch  mav  appear  still  more  evident  from  what  is  said  near  the  close  of  the 
S,  p^er  "  AndThe  city  had  no  need  of  the  -"•  neither  of  the  -»"  t"*.- 
iu  it-  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  Light  thereof. 
Xn  •  the  nit  oL  J  them  that  are  saved  shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it:-t'.ere  shal 
be  no  night  there,"  &c.  Now  it  is  the  church  built  upon  true  doctrine  dnved 
from  the  Word,  which  hath  no  need  of  natural  "g"'  ''^lyoys  sp.rUual 
illumination.  "  The  glory  of  God,"  or  the  divine  truth  of  the  Wo  d  en'ight^ 
ens  it,  and  that  continually;  "for  there  is  no  night  there.  '  And  - "  wh»  walk 
according  to  this  light,  i.  e.  who  live  as  these  truths  require,  are  signiBed  by 
»« the  nations  of  them  that  are  saved." 


I 


60 


THE    CONSUMMATION   OF   THE    AGE. 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


61 


which  are  said  concerning  this  city,  are,  when  rightly  understood, 
things  said  concerning  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church.  Thus  it 
is  said  to  be  four-square,  with  its  length,  breadth  and  hight  equal, 
to  denote  that  all  things  good  and  true  are  acknowledged  and 
included  in  the  doctrines  of  this  church.  Breadth,  according  to 
the  Science  of  Correspondences,  is  predicated  of  good,  and  length 
of  truth,  and  hight  of  their  orders  or  degrees,  as  from  the  highest 
or  most  interior  spiritual  truths,  to  the  lowest  or  most  exterior 
truths  of  natural  science,  together  with  the  good  or  use  of  each. 
And  when,  bv  means  of  these  heavenly  doctrines,  the  mind  of  man 
has  been  brought  into  an  angelic  state,  or  a  state  of  true  order,  he 
has  then  reached  the  stature  of  spiritual  manhood  ; — he  hath  '*  the 
measure  of  a  man,  i.  e.  of  the  angel."  This  fullness  of  heavenly 
stature  is  denoted  by  144  cubits,  which  is  his  measure.  The  num- 
ber 144,  as  well  as  the  number  twelve  from  which  it  is  derived, 
signifies,  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  what  is  full  and  com- 
plete, or  all  the  goods  and  truths  of  the  church.  The  lake  of  fire 
and  brimstone  mentioned  in  the  eighth  verse,  signifies  the  falses 
and  evils  in  which  the  minds  of  those  persons  are  immersed,  who 
are  of  the  character  there  described.* 

It  must  by  this  time  appear  evident,  that  earth  and  land,  when 
mentioned  in  the  Scripture,  do  not  mean  this  material  globe,  nor 
any  portion  of  it,  but  the  Church.  Hence  where  the  prophets  of 
the  Old  Testament  speak  of  the  land  being  devoured  by  fire,  of  a 
consummation  upon  all  the  earth,  &c.,  the  consummation  of  the  then 
existing  Jewish  Church  is  what  is  signified  —  an  event  which  took 
place  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's  first  advent ;  for  we  know  that  the 
natural  land  was  not  then  literally  devoured  by  fire.  And  that 
the  "  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth,"  spoken  of  in  the  Revela- 
tion, signify  a  New  Church,  both  internal  and  external,  which  the 
Lord  at  his  second  coming  would  establish,  is  placed  beyond  a 
reasonable  doubt,  when  we  consider  that  his  first  advent,  to  con- 
summate the  Jewish  and  establish  the  Christian  Church,  is  fore- 
told in  language  almost  precisely  the  same  :  "  For  as  the  new 
heavens  and  the  new  earth,  which  I  will  make,  shall  remain  before 
me,  saith  Jehovah,  so  shall  your  seed  and  your  name  remain"  (Is. 
Ixvi.  22).  And  again  in  language  still  more  explicit:  *'  For,  behold, 
I  create  new  heavens,  and  a  new  earth;  and  the  former  shall  not  be 
remembered,  nor  come  into  mind.     But  be  ye  glad,  and  rejoice 

*  For  a  more  detailed  explanation  of  the  contents  of  this  chapter,  see  Apoc- 
alypse Revealed,  by  Swedenborg,  n.  876 — 931. 


I 


forever  fin  thatj  which  1  create  :  for.  behold,  /  creaie  Jerusal^  a 
Zicini,  and  her  people  a  joy.     And  I  will  rejo.c£,  jn  Jerusalem 
Jd  jof  in  my  people  :  and  the  voice  of  weep.ng  sha  1  be  no  more 
heard  in  her,  nor  the  voice  of  crymg."     (Ixv.  17,  18,  19.) 

Here  it  is  plainly  declared,  that  crealinff  new  heavens  and  a  new 
earth  means  the  same  as  creatinff  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing  and  her  peo- 
pU  a  joy;  and  is  an  event  worthy  of  gladness  and  rejoicmg  for- 
ever What  else  but  that  renovated  state  of  the  Church,  which 
took'place  in  consequence  of  the  Lord's  advent,  could  be  worthy 
of  such  joy?  Besides,  we  are  not  informed  that  the  material 
heavens  and  earth  were  created  anew  at  that  time. 

From  the  language,  therefore,  employed  in  the  Old  Testamen 
Scripture  to  describe'  the  end  of  the  Jewish  C'-ch  we  derive^ 
least,  a  strong  probability,  that  the  consummation  of  the  Age,  and 
the  passing  away  of  the  former  heaven  and  earth,  menUoned  in  ^e 
New  Testament!  denote  the  end  or  spiritual  consummation  of  the 

'^f^el^ri  mrU  of  the  same  Mnd     We  observe,  th.. 
where  the  consummation  of  the  Age  is  treated  o    in  the  New  Tes- 
Tament,  it  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  accompanying  circumstance 
ofThat  event,  that  "  the  sun  shall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall 
1  irher  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the 
Towerlof  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken."     Without  stopping  here 
fo  point  out  the  unphilosophical  and  absurd  nature  o    the  conclu- 
sZ  which  a  literal  interpretation  of  this  passage  would  force  upon 
s  or  to  unfold  its  true  spiritual  import,  let  us  turn  to  t,he  prophet- 
calparts  of  rt'e  Old  Testament,  and  see  whether  we  do  not  there 
t'ZZ.  language  employed  to  describe  the  end  of  the  Jewish 

''tte  prophecy  of  Joel  where  the  lord's  advent  and  the  de^ 
struction  of  the  Jewish  Church  are  foretold,  it  is  said,  'The  earth 
sh™ Cak    before  them;  the  heavens  shall  tremble  ;  the  sun  and 
moi Thall  be  dark,  and  the  stars  shall  withdraw  their  shining^ 
a-W  )     "  And  I  will  show  wonders  in  the  heavens  and  in  the 
earti  blood,  and  fire,  and  pillars  of  smoke.     The  sun  shall  be 
Lte'd  Lo  darkness,  and  the  moon  into  blood  before  the  gi-  a 
and  terrible  day  of  Jehovah  Lord  come  "    (u.  ^'^}-J       ^^  J^ 
dav  of  Jehovah  is  near  in  the  valley  of  decision.     The  sun  and  the 
mo'onsh  11  be  darkened,  and  the  stars  ^^1  withdraw  the.  shin    g^ 

Jehovah  also  shall  roar  out  of  Zion,  f  ^-""^'^'^T^  ^4   16 
salem  ;  and  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall  shake.       (m.  14,  16. 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF   THE    AGE. 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF   THE    AGE. 


.03 


16.)  Again  in  the  prophecy  of  Amos:  **And  it  shall  come  to 
pass  in  that  dayr  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  that  I  will  cause  the  sun 
to  go  down  at  noon,  and  I  will  darken  the  earth  in  the  clear  day.'* 
(viii.  9.)  And  that  a  dark  and  fjimished  state  of  the  Church, 
arising  from  falsifications  of  the  Word  and  the  consequent  loss  of 
genuine  good  and  truth,  is  here  signified,  appears  evident  from 
what  follows  in  the  same  chapter  :  **  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith 
the  Lord  Jehovah,  that  I  will  send  a  famine  in  the  land ;  not  a 
famine  of  bread,  nor  a  thirst  for  water,  hut  of  hearing  the  words 
of  Jehovah:  and  they  shall  wander  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the 
north  even  to  the  east ;  they  shall  run  to  and  fro  to  seek  the  Word 
of  Jehovah,  and  shall  not  find  it."  (v.  11,  12.  See  also  Is.  9, 
10,  13.) 

Now  we  observe  that  the  language  employed  in  the  texts  here 
cited,  is  almost  precisely  the  same  as  that  in  the  Evangelists  where 
the  consummation  of  the  Age  is  spoken  of ;  and  since,  not  the  extinc- 
tion of  the  heavenly  luminaries,  but  the  spiritual  darkness  which 
came  upon  the  Jewish  Church  at  its  end,  is  what  is  referred  to  in 
these  Old  Testament  prophecies,  then  what  can  be  understood  by 
the  prophecies  of  the  New  Testament,  couched  in  almost  the  very 
same  language,  but  that  state  of  spiritual  darkness,  which  it  was 
foreseen  would  befall  the  first  Christian  Church  at  its  end. 

There  is  another  similar  text,  which  occurs  in  the  Apocalypse, 
immediately  after  the  death  or  departure  of  true  charity  and  faith, 
and  the  consequent  consummation  of  the  church,  is  foretold  under 
the  image  of  **  a  pale  horse"  that  was  seen  coming  out  of  a  book  : 
"  and  his  name  that  sat  on  him  was  death,  and  hell  followed  with 
him."  We  t^ive  the  words  of  the  text,  toijether  with  Swedenbor^'s 
explanation  of  a  part  of  them.  *'  And  I  beheld  when  he  had 
opened  the  sixth  seal,  and  lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake  ;  and 
the  sun  became  blr.ck  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon  became 
as  blood;  and  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as  a 
fig-tree  casteth  her  imtimely  figs,  when  she  is  shaken  of  a  mighty 
wind.  And  the  heaven  departed  as  a  scroll  when  it  is  rolled  toge- 
ther ;  and  every  mountain  and  island  were  moved  out  of  their 
places."— (vi.  12,  13,  14.) 

Explanation,  —  '*  And,  lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake."  — 
Earthquakes  signify  changes  of  state  in  the  church,  because  the 
earth  signifies  the  church,  and  because,  in  the  spiritual  world, 
when  the  state  of  the  church  is  perverted  anywhere,  and  there  is 
a  change,  an  earthquake  takes  place,  and  this  is  a  prelude  to  their 


^  r 


destruction  ;  the  eflfect  is  terror ;  for  the  earths  in  the  spiritual 
world,  are  in  appearance,  like  the  earths  in  the  natural  world  ;  but 
as  the  earths  there,  like  all  other  things  in  that  world,  are  from  a 
spiritual  origin,  therefore  changes  occur  according  to  the  state  of 
the  church  among  the  inhabitants  ;  and  when  the  state  of  the 
church  is  perverted,  they  quake  and  tremble,  yea,  sink  down,  and 
are  moved  out  of  their  places. 

"  And  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  moon 
became  as  blood,"  signifies  the  adulteration  of  all  the  good  of 
love  in  them,  and  the  falsification  of  all  the  truth  of  faith.  That 
the  sun  signifies  the  Lord  as  to  divine  love,  and  thence  the  good  of 
love  from  Him  ;  and,  in  an  opposite  sense,  a  denial  of  the  Lord's 
divinity,  and  thence  adulteration  of  the  good  of  love,  may  be  seen 
above,  n.  53.  And  as  the  sun  signifies  the  good  of  love,  the  moon 
therefore  sio-nifies  the  truth  of  faith  :  for  the  sun  is  red  from  fire, 
and  the  moon  is  white  by  virtue  of  the  light  from  the  sun  ;  and 
fire  signifies  the  good  of  love,  and  light,  the  truth  from  that  good  : 
concerning  the  moon,  see  also  the  passages  adduced  above,  n.  53. 
It  is  said  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  because  adul- 
terated good  in  itself  is  evil,  and  evil  is  black  ;  and  the  reason  why 
it  is  said  the  moon  became  as  blood,  is,  because  blood  signifies 
divine  truth,  and,  in  an  opposite  sense,  divine  truth  falsified,  as 
may  be  seen  below,  n.  379. 

**  And  tlie  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,"  signifies  the 
dispersion  of  all  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth.  That  stars 
signify  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth,  may  be  seen  above,  n. 
51  ;  that  to  fall  from  heaven  to  earth  means  to  be  dispersed,  or  to 
disappear,  is  evident.  In  the  spiritual  world,  also,  stars  appear  to 
fall  from  heaven  to  the  earth  there,  when  the  knowledges  of  good 
and  truth  perish.  —  (A.  R.,  331.) 

Let  us  endeavor  now  to  ascertain,  by  the  light  of  the  Holy 
Scripture,  the  true  meaning  of  this  word  Age,  in  the  phrase 
"consummation  of  the  Age." 

In  common  discourse  we  call  any  period  of  a  man's  life  upon 
earth,  his  age  ;  and  when  that  period  is  full  and  finished,  and  he  is 
removed  to  the  spiritual  world,  his  age  is  consummated.  The  pe- 
riod during  which  any  particular  system  of  opinions,  either  politi- 
cal, philosophical,  or  moral,  bear  sway  over  human  minds,  is 
usually  denominated  an  Age.  And,  of  course,  when  their  sway 
is  loosened  or  destroyed,  that  Age,  or  the  age  of  such  opinions,  is 
consummated.     In  general,  the  time  that  any  thing  survives  on 


54 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


55 


earth,  is  usually  called  its  age :  and  when  it  is  extinct,  its  age  is 
consummated.  This  also  is  the  meaning  of  the  original  Greek 
word  Atwf  {Aion,)  which  signifies  an  entire  period  of  time,  whe- 
ther longer  or  shorter. 

Now  in  the  spiritual  world  there  is  no  time  defined  by  planetary 
motions,  as  in  this  natural  world ;  yet  there  is  an  appearance  of 
time,  which  appearance  is  always  according  to  the  mental  states  of 
those  there.  We  may  form  some  idea  of  this,  if  we  reflect  upon 
how  the  case  is  when  we  dream.  Often  in  our  dreams  we  appeal 
to  witness  the  events  of  several  days,  and  often  to  be  carried 
through  a  much  longer  period,  and  all  in  the  space  of  a  few  mo- 
ments of  actual  or  natural  time.  The  appearance  is  according  to 
the  state  of  the  mind  and  its  changes. 

Sometimes,  indeed,  there  is  an  approximation  to  the  same  thing 
during  our  waking  hours.  If  we  are  idle,  or  in  a  dull,  listless,  in- 
active state  of  mind,  the  hours  move  heavily  and  slowly  on,  and  a 
day  appears  to  us  very  long.  But  if  we  are  closely  occupied,  and 
our  minds  actively  and  affectionately  engaged  in  what  we  are 
doing,  then  we  make  no  account  of  the  hours ;  there  appears  to  be 
no  time.  Every  one  is  more  or  less  familiar  with  this  fact,  and 
knows  from  his  own  experience,  that,  even  in  this  natural  world, 
time  appears  longer  or  shorter  according  to  our  mental  states. 

Now  because  in  the  spiritual  world,  time  is  not  actually  defined  by 
days,  months,  years,  &c.,  as  it  is  in  this  world, but  appears  there  long 
or  short  according  to  one's  state,  therefore  all  words  in  Scripture, 
which,  in  their  natural  sense,  denote  somewhat  of  time,  in  their 
spiritual  sense  denote  state.  Consequently  At^:;!;  (Age,)  which 
naturally  signifies  a  period  of  time  of  indefinite  duration,  in  its 
spiritual  sense  denotes  a  full  state.  And  since  it  was  on  account 
of  the  condition  of  the  Church  that  the  Lord  came  at  first  into 
the  world  and  evidently  on  account  of  its  condition  that  He  will 
come  a  second  time,  we  may  rest  assured  that  when  He  speaks  of 
The  Age,  He  refers  to  the  duration  of  the  Dispensation  which  had 
then  just  commenced ;  i.  e.  to  the  living  and  active  operation  in  the 
first  Christian  Church,  of  those  truly  human  principles  which  He 
came  to  impart.  What  else,  therefore,  can  the  Consummation  of  the 
Age  signify,  but  a  full  and  consummated  state  of  that  Church  ? 

When  a  church  has  been  in  all  possible  states,  when  it  has  had 
its  morning,  noon  and  evening,  and  has  reached  its  night,  then  its 
state  is  full,  and  it  can  have  no  more  states.  It  is  like  a  man  who 
has  passed  his  childhood,  youth  and  manhood,  and  arrived  at  ex- 


treme old  age.  He  cannot  hve  these  periods  over  again,  or  pass 
through  these  states  a  second  time.  This  full  age  of  the  Church, 
therefore,  is  properly  said  to  be  the  fullness  of  tim^,  (Gal.  iv.  4.) 
and  when  time  shall  be  no  longer. — (Rev.  x.  6.) 

The    spiritual    meaning  of    time,    as   denoting   state,  has   its 
ground  and  origin  in  the  correspondence  of  things  in  the  natural 
with  things  in  the  spiritual  world.     The  Lord,  as  we  are  taught  in 
the  writings  of  the  New  Church,  is  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  ; 
and  hence'' it  is  said  in  the  word,  -  For  Jehovah  God  is  a  sun  and 
shield. ''  —  (Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11.)     His  wisdom  and  love,  or  his  divine 
truth  and  divine  goodness  are  the  light  and  warmth  of  all  minds, 
and  hence  of  all  things  in  the  spiritual  world,  just  as  the  beams  ot 
the  natural  sun  are  the  light  and  warmth  of  all  things  in  the  natu- 
ral world  ;  and  this  not  in  any  poetical  or  merely  figurative  sense, 
i      but  in  real  verity.    Now  all  the  changes  of  natural  time,  as  through 
;•       the  four  great  divisions  of  the  day  and  seasons  of  the  year,  are  at 
i|       the  same  time  changes  in  respect  to  the  light  and  heat,  or  to  the 
earth's  reception  of  these  from  the  natural  sun.     So,  from  corres- 
pondence, all  the  changes  of  spiritual  time,  i.  e.  all  the  changes  in 
the  spiritual  condition  of  any  church,  or  of  the  mind  of  any  indivi- 
dual, are  but  changes  in  regard  to  his  reception  of  wisdom  and 

^  I  love  from  the  Lord. 

In  the  natural  world  there  is  something  peculiarly  joyous  and 
animating  to  all  creatures  in  the  bright  light  of  the  morning  sun. 
This  is  on  account  of  the  correspondence  ;  for  morning,  in  the  spirit- 
ual sense,  denotes  a  corresponding  state  of  the  Church  ;    i.  e.  a 
state,  when  from  little  or  no  genuine  truth  and  love,  (which  is 
spiritual  darkness  and  night,)  it  receives  a  communication  of  in- 
telligence and  wisdom  from  the  rising  of  the  spiritual  Sun— a  new 
dispensation  of  divine  truth.     Hence  it  is  that  the  mormng   and 
the  coming  of  the  morning  are  so  often  mentioned  in  the  Word 
where  the  Lord's  advent  is  treated  of.     Thus  it  is  said  in  Psalms, 
where  the  church  is  spoken  of  under  the  designation  of  -  the  city 
of  God,''  that  **  God  is  in  the  midst  of  her;   she  shall  not  be 
moved  \  God  shall  help  her  when  the  morning  appeareth.  "    Every 
one  must  perceive  that  a  natural  morning  cannot  be  here  meant ; 
for  God  is  no  more  a  respecter  of  times,  naturally  considered,  than 
He  is  of  persons ;   yet  it  is   here  said  he  will  help  the  church 
-  when  the  morning  appeareth.  "     But  a  spiritual  morning  is  here 
denoted.   When  the  Lord  in  his  Providence  sees  fit  to  make  a  new 
and  clearer  communication  of  divine  truth  to  men,  whereby  they 


56 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


are  able  to  see  the  falses  and  evils  which  before  were  concealed 
from  their  view,  then  appeareth  the  morning  to  the  church,  and 
she  is  indeed  helped  of  God. 

So  in  Isaiah,  where  the  end  of  the  Jewish,  or  of  any  old,  dis- 
pensation is  treated  of  under  the  image  of  the  fall  of  Babylon, 
and  the  commencement  of  a  new  dispensation  is  foretold,  there  is 
a  call  out  of  Seir,  **  Watchman,  what  of  the  night  ?  Watchman, 
what  of  the  night  ?  "  The  watchman  saith  :  *'  The  morning  com- 
eth,  and  also  the  night."— (xxi.  11.)  Whenever  a  new  dispen- 
sation, and  conseqently  a  new  church  commences,  which  is  what 
is  denoted  by  morning,  there  is  at  the  same  time  an  end  of  the 
former  dispensation  and  church,  which  is  signified  by  night.  '*The 
momimj  cometh,  and  also  the  night:'  (See  also  Ez.  vii.  6,  7.) 
And  in  the  Apocalypse  the  Lord  is  called  *'  the  bright  and  morn- 
ing  star  ;  "  and  in  the  Gospel  of  John,  He  is  called  *'  the  Light,'* 
and  *'the  true  Light,  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into 
the  world."— (i.  9.)  Yes:  He  is  the  bright  and  Heavenly  Sun, 
whose  cheering  beams  bring  morning  to  the  church. 

It  would  be  easy  also  to  cite  many  passages  from  the  Word, 
where  the  end  of  the  church,  or  its  state  of  vastation  as  to  good- 
ness and  truth,  is  spoken  of  as  a  time  of  darkness  and  night. 
Thus  in  Micah  it  is  said  "  to  the  princes  of  the  house  of  Israel, 
who  hate  the  oood  and  love  the  evil ; "  *' Therefore  7U^/i^  [shall 
be]  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  not  have  a  vision  ;  and  it  shall  be  dark 
unto  you  that  ye  shall  not  divine  ;  and  the  sun  shall  go  down  over 
the  prophets,  and  the  day  shall  be  dark  over  them." — (iii.  6.) 
The  spiritual  Sun  always  goes  down  over  those  prophets  "  who 
hate  the  good  and  love  the  evil."  Their  minds  are  darkened  by 
mnumerable  falsities  originating  in  evil  loves,  and  they  can  scarcely 
discern  anything  spiritual.  They  are  in  that  outer  darkness,  where 
is  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.* 

*The  following  is  Swedenborg's  explanation  of  outer  darkness  and  gnash- 
ing of  teeth.  '^ Outer  darkness — denotes  the  more  dire  falsities  of  those  who 
are  in  the  church,  for  they  darken  the  light,  and  induce  falsities  contrary  to 
truths,  which  the  Gentiles  cannot  do." —  (A.  C,  1839.) 

"  Gnashing  of  the  teeth  is  the  continual  dispute  and  combat  of  falses  with 
each  other,  consequently  of  those  who  are  in  falses,  joined  also  with  contempt 
of  others,  with  enmity,  derision,  ridicule,  blasphemy,  which  also  burst  forth 
into  butcherly  assaults  of  various  kinds;  for  every  one  fights  in  favor  of  his 
own  false,  and  calls  it  truth.  These  disputes  and  combats  in  the  other  world 
are  heard  out  of  the  hells  as  gnashing  of  the  teeth;  and  also  are  turned  into 
gnashings  of  the  teeth  when  truths  from  heaven  flow  in  thither;  for  all  falses 
in  the  spiritual  world  gnash  or  make  a  grating  noise,  and  teeth  correspond  to 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


57 


It  is  said   again,  in  the  Apocalypse,  concernmg  the  Holy  City 
New  Jerusalem,  that  -there  shall  be  no  night  there.''— (xxi   25.) 
All  who  are  in  the  Holy  City  ^  who  are  really  of  the  true  Church 
-have  their  minds  continually  illumined  with  the  beams  of  God  s 
glorious  truth.     Also  in  Psalms,  it  is  declared  that  the  wicked 
-walk  on  in  darkness."- (Ixxxii.  5.)     And  again,  the  Psalmist 
says  that  his  spirit  is  overwhelmed  within  him,  and  his  heart  is 
desolate,  -Because  the  enemy  hath  persecuted  my  soul :  he  hath 
smitten  my  life  down  to  the  ground  :  he  hath  made  me  to  dwell  in 
darkness,  as  those  that  have  been  long  dead."— (cxlm.  3.)  bo  m  the 
prophecy  of  Joel,  where  the  consummation  of  the  church  is  spo- 
ken of,  it  is  said  to  be  -  a  day  of  darkness  and  of  f^^'^^^''-- 
a  day  of  clouds,  and  of  thick  darkness."-(ii.  2.)     And  in  Isaiah 
where  it  is  treated  of  Messiah's  advent,  -  the  people  tha  wa  ked 
in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light :  they  that  dwell  in  the  land 
of  the  shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath  the  light  ^^^^^^    -(ix. 
2.)     In  all  these  passages,  and  many  more  that  might  be  adducea 
it  is  plain  that  darkness  and  light  can  have  no  other  than  a  spiritual 

siojniti cation.  i  j  ^      i  ,,„ 

If  any  further  evidence  from  Scripture  were  needed  to  show 
that  "  the  consummation  of  the  Age  "  denotes  the  end  of  the  first 
Christian  Church -a  state  when  the  light  of  genume  truth  had 
become  extinguished  through  falsifications  of  the  Word  and  evi  s 
of  life,  we  might  refer  to  Luke  xvii.  34 ;  where,  descnbmg  tks 
event,  it  is  written,  "  I  tell  you,  in  that  nu,M,  there  shall  be  two  in 
one  bed  ;  the  one  shall  be  taken  and  the  other  left."     That  mffht 
clearly  denotes  a  state  of  great  obscurity  in  respect  to  the  truth ; 
a  state  of  spiritual  darkness  into  which  the  Lord  foresaw  the  first 
Christian  Church  would  M\,  on  account  of  falses  onginatmg  m 
evils.     And  inasmuch  as  there  are  two  very  different  classes  of 
persons  among  those  who  profess  to  believe  the  same  false  doc- 
trines, one  of  which  classes  is  in  the  good  of  hfe,  and  the  other 
not  so,  therefore  it  is  said  that  "  two  shall  be  in  one  bed  ;  the  one 
shall  be  taken  and  the  other  left."     Bed,  in  the  language  of  cor- 
respondence, signifies  doctrine  :  "  for  as  the  body,"  ^^y'^^'^;,; 
borg,  "  rests  in  its  bed,  so  does  the  mind  rest  m  its  doctrme. 
They  who  are  in  false  doctrines,  and  at  the  same  time  m  evds  of 
life,  or  under  the  dominion  of  the  loves  of  self  and  the  world 
cannot  receive  genuine  truth  ;   therefore  they  are  "  left.  __But 
5;r^inn;.ate  things  m  nature,  and  also  to  the  "'ti-^at^  *!"g^  app^iuing  to 
men,  which  are  sensual  corporeal  things."—  (H.  H.,  i>li>.) 


58 


THE    CONSUMMATION   OF   THE  AGE. 


THE    CONSUMMATION   OP   THE  AGE. 


59 


others,  who  may  be  in  the  same  false  doctrines,  yet  in  ike  good  of 
life,  can  receive  genuine  truth,  for  this  proceeds  from  good  and 
always  leads  to  good  ;  these  therefore  are  **  taken.*' 

Perhaps  by  this  time  our  minds  are  prepared  to  understand  the 
true  explanation  of  that  text  in  Matthew,  which  saith,  "immedi- 
ately after  the  tribulation  of  those  days,  the  sun  shall  be  darkened, 
and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from 
heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken.*' — (Matt. 
xxiv.  29.)  The  true  spiritual  import  of  this  language  is  revealed 
by  the  Science  of  Correspondences.  The  natural  stars  are  fixed 
and  luminous  bodies ;  yet  so  far  away  in  the  deep  blue  vault  of 
heaven,  that  they  shed  down  upon  us  no  warmth,  and  scarcely  any 
light.  Yet,  little  specks  as  they  are,  they  are  useful  as  beacons  to 
guide  the  pilgrim  through  the  wilderness,  and  the  mariner  across 
the  pathless  deep  ;  they,  therefore,  correspond  to  the  knowledges 
of  good  and  truth  derived  from  the  Word  ;  such,  for  example,  as 
children  or  even  grown  people  may  have  in  their  minds,  who  have 
committed  some  plain  texts  of  Scripture  to  memory,  but  without 
understanding  anything  more  than  their  literal  sense.  These  knowl- 
edges of  truth  lie,  as  it  were,  like  little  stars  far  away  in  the  deep 
blue  vault  of  the  mind,  yet  fixed  and  luminous,  but  without 
affectinof  the  will  with  the  warmth  of  love,  or  the  understandinof 
with  the  light  of  wisdom.  Yet  very  useful  are  these  knowl- 
edges. They  serve  as  beacon-lights  in  our  pilgrimage  through 
the  mazy  wilderness  of  doubt,  and  in  the  n^^A^time  of  our  voyage 
across  the  trackless  ocean  of  life.  The  moon  gives  more  light,  yet 
no  warmth.  It  therefore  corresponds  to  faith  in  the  mind,  unaccom- 
panied by  the  warmth  of  love  ;  i.  e.,  an  understanding  enlightened 
by  the  truth,  yet  wanting  the  love  of  doing  as  the  truth  requires. 
But  the  sun  sheds  down  not  only  a  clear  light,  but  a  vivifying  heat. 
It  therefore  corresponds  to  the  human  mind,  or  the  church,  in  which 
goodness  and  truth,  or  charity  and  faith  are  perfectly  united,  like  the 
heat  and  light  of  the  natural  sun  —  as  is  the  case  with  every  one 
who  has  a  clear  understanding  of  what  is  true,  united  with  a  warm 
love  of  what  is  good.  When  used  with  the  moon,  it  denotes  love 
to  the  Lord  ;  and  the  moon  denotes  charity  towards  the  neighbor.* 

When,  therefore,  genuine  charity  has  departed  from  the  church, 
and  genuine  faith,  and  even  the  knowledges  of  what  genuine  good 
and  genuine  truth  are,  the  church  has  then  spiritually  come  to  its 

*  For  a  complete  and  extended  explanation  of  this  text  according  to  cor- 
respondences, see  A.  C.  4060,  by  Swedenborg. 


end;  and  this  prophecy,  in  its  spiritual  sense,  is  fulfilled:  **The 
sun  shall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and 
the  stars  shall  fall  from  heaven.'' 

Here,  then,  I  rest  the  argument  for  the  *'  Consummation  of  the 
Ao-e,"  as  denoting  the  spiritual  end  of  the  first  Christian  Church  ; 
an  argument  based  not  upon  more  human  reasonings,  but  upon  the 
eternal  and  immutable  testimony  of  the  Word  of  God. 

Briefly  to  recapitulate  the  main  points  in  the  argument : 

1.  It  is  not  in  the  order  of  Divine  Providence  that  the  precise 
manner  in  which  a  prophecy  is  to  be  fulfilled,  should  be  under- 
stood before  its  fulfillment.  Therefore,  we  conclude  that  the 
prophecy  concerning  the  ** consummation  of  the  Age''  will  not 
be  fulfilled  in  precisely  the  same  manner  that  the  Church  has 

expected. 

2.  The  prophecies  in  the  Old  Testament  concerning  the  Lord's 
first  advent,  and  the  end  of  the  Jewish  Church,  were  not  under- 
stood until  after  their  fulfillment.  Therefore  it  is  reasonable  to 
Buppose  that  the  prophecies  in  the  New  Testament  concerning  the 
Lord's  second  appearing  and  the  "consummation  of  the  Age" 
would  not  be  understood  until  after  their  fulfillment. 

3.  The  language  which  foretells  the  consummation  of  the  Jew- 
ish Church,  and  describes  the  accompanying  circumstances  of  that 
event,  is  similar  to  that  found  in  the  New  Testament,  where  the 
consummation  of  the  Age  is  spoken  of.  Therefore  this  latter  must 
refer  to  the  consummation  of  the  first  Christian  Church. 

4.  The  principle  of  literal  interpretation,  the  appplication  of 
which  to  many  parts  of  Scripture,  especially  to  Rev.  xxi.  1,  has 
led  to  the  belief  that  this  natural  earth  is  to  be  destroyed  and  a 
new  earth  created,  cannot  be  applied  to  the  rest  of  this  chapter  in 
the  Apocalypse,  without  driving  us  to  the  most  absurd  conclusions. 
Therefore  we  conclude  that  this  principle  is  unsound,  and  that  earth 
is  not  to  be  understood  in  its  literal  sense. 

6.  Earth  and  land  are  used  in  other  parts  of  the  Word  evi- 
dently to  denote  the  Church.  Therefore  in  this  chapter  of  the 
Apocalypse  the  earth  must  signify  the  Church. 

6.  Words  which  in  their  natural  sense  denote  time  or  portions  of 
time,  as  morning,  night,  &c.,  are  employed  in  the  Old  Testament 
to  denote  certain  states  of  the  Church.  Therefore,  since  AkZ^v 
{Age)  means  a  full  period  of  time,  the  consummation  of  the  Age 
must  denote  a  full  and  consummated  state  of  the  first  Christian 
Church  ;  and  in  the  gospel  of  Luke  this  state  is  called  '"night:* 


60 


THE    CONSUMMATION    OF    THE    AGE. 


I  leave  the  subject  here  for  your  reflection  and  further  examina- 
tion. Judge  ye  whether  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  on  this 
subject,  as  herein  presented,  be  estabUshed  by  a  deceitful  hand- 
ling of  the  Word  of  God,  or  by  a  consistent,  sound  and  rational 
exegesis.  If  according  to  the  latter,  then  we  may  be  living  in  tlie 
time  of  the  Lord^s  second  coming.  For  it  is  said  that  He  will  come 
upon  men  **  unawares,"  and  ''  as  a  thief,"  and  that  it  shall  not  be 
known  *' when  the  time  is."  And  as  he  once  stood  in  person 
among  the  Jews  and  they  knew  Him  not,  so  even  now,  spiritual^ 
ly^ in  the  genuine  truth  concerning  Himself  and  the  Church  un- 
folded in  his  Word — He  may  be  in  our  midst  at  his  second  com- 
ing,  and  we  know  Him  not.  Therefore,  let  every  one  examine  foi 
himself  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  in  the  love  of  truth  ;  for  not  only 
**in  such  an  hour,"  but,  perchance,  in  such  a  maimer  as  we  think 
not,  the  Son  of  Man  may  come.  "  Watch  therefore  ;  lest  coming 
suddenly.  He  find  you  sleeping.  And  what  I  say  unto  you,  I  say 
unto  all.  Watch." 


LECTURE   III, 


THE    SECOND    COMING    OF    THE    LORD. 
A  <  wieA   bill   hey  see  the  Son  of  Man  coming  in  the  clouds."  —  J/arfc  xiii.  26. 

^  dAiD  m  ftiy  la^;  lecture,  that  there  is  a  pretty  general  perception 
&,mong  the  enKjhv.<.vvcd  and  best  men  of  our  day,  that  ''  the  glory 
has  departed  from  Israel"  — that   '*  beauty  has  fled  from  the 
daughter  of  Zion."      Diere  is  a  pretty  general  acknowledgment 
that'^the  church  is  not  i^r  and  comely  in  her  aspect  —  "  beautiful 
as  a  bride  adomea  tor  her  husband."      Has  not   Christendom, 
because  of  her  unchristi&h  deeds,  and  still  more  unchristian  doc- 
trines, become  the  reproach  and  derision  of  the  Gentiles  ?    Has  not 
religion,  even  in  Christian  oountries,  become,  in  the  minds  of  many, 
alm'ost    synonymous    with    t/lgotry,    narrow-mindedness,    morbid 
melancholy,  and  h}T)Ocriticai  ^ant  ?     If  it  has  not,  then  people  do 
not  think  as  they  talk.     We  near  it  almost  everywhere  confessed, 
that  the  Christian  church  —  tnt  great  body  of  those  professing  the 
religion  of  Christ  —  is  unchrisiiftii  ;  that  its  heart  does  not  throb 
with  the  love  of  the  only  Lora  atrd  Saviour,  nor  does  the  life  of 
genuine  charity  and  faith  circulate  warm  through  its  veins.     And 
among  those  who  are  determinea  lo   be  honest,  and  true  to  their 
deep  convictions,  many  in  their  hearts  are  taking  up  this  lamenta- 
tion concerning  Zion :  -How  has  the  gold  become  dim  !  How  is 
the  most  fine  gold  changed  !  How  hath  the   Lord  covered  the 
daughter  of  Zion  with  a  cloud  in  his  anger,  and  cast  down  from 
heaven  unto  the  earth  the  beauty  of  Israel !  " 

Notwithstanding  all  this,  I  am  well  aware,  that,  to  most  minds, 
the  assertions,  that  the  consummation  of  the  Age  foretold  in  the 
Evangelists  has  already  found  its  fulfillment  in  the  consummated 
sta'e  of  the  first  Christian  Church,  and  that  we  are  really  living  at 
a  time  which  ^vitnesses  the  fulfillment  of  that  other  prophecy  con- 
cerning the  second  appearing  of  the  Lord  upon  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
must  sound  very  strange  —  almost  like  the  ravings  of  a  madman. 
It  ;?eems  very  strange  to  most  people,  that  so  many  great  and 
learned  men  as  there  have  been  in  the  church,  should  so  long  have 
remained  under  a  misapprehension  as  to  the  true  import  of  these 
texts.  ^^^^ 


62 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


And  did  it  not  sound  strange  to  Jewish  ears,  when  the  humble 
Gahlean  (as  the  Lord  appeared  to  them)  stood  up  in  their  syna- 
gogue and  said,  **  This  day  is  this  Scripture  fulfilled  in  your  ears  — 
'  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  He  hath  anointed  me 
to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  poor  ;  He  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the 
broken-hearted,  to  preach  deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  recover- 
ing of  sight  to  the  blind,  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised,  to 
preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord/  "  While  the  Hebrew 
prophecies  concerning  the  end  of  the  Jewish  Church  and  Messiah's 
advent,  were  finding  their  fulfillment  before  the  eyes  of  that  peo- 
ple, they  did  not  know  it ;  nor  were  they  more  ready  to  believe  it 
when  the  truth  was  told  them,  than  Christians  now-a-days  are  to 
believe  that  the  prophecy  concerning  the  Lord's  second  advent  has 
found  its  fulfillment. 

In  my  last  lecture  I  showed  that  *'  the  consummation  of  the  Age," 
spoken  of  in  the  New  Testament,  denotes  a  consummated  state  of 
the  first  Christian  Church  ;  i.  e.  a  state  of  so  httle  genuine  charity, 
and  of  such  general  darkness  in  respect  to  spiritual  things,  that  it 
may  be  truly  said  in  reference  to  the  church,  '*  The  sun  is  darkened, 
and  the  moon  has  withdrawn  her  light,  and  the  stars  have  fallen 
from  heaven  ;  "  —in  a  word,  that  the  Church  has  spiritually  come 
to  its  end.  In  order,  therefore,  that  a  New  Church  may  exist  upon 
earth,  when  such  a  consummated  state  of  the  former  Church  takes 
place,  it  is  necessary  that  there  be  a  new  revelation,  or  a  new  dis- 
pensation of  divine  truth  to  men. 

Now,  we  maintain,  that  the  Church  instituted  by  our  Lord  at  his 
first  advent,  has  spiritually  come  to  its  end  ;  and  that  a  new  dis- 
pensation of  truth  has  been  made  to  the  world  in  the  theoloo-ical 
writings  of  Emanuel  Swedenborg ;  and  this  revelation  or  new'^dis- 
pensation  is  claimed  by  the  New  Church,  and  is  also  repeatedly 
declared  m  these  writings,  to  be  what  is  signified  by  that  second 
and  glorious  appearing  of  the  Son  of  Man  upon  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  foretold  in  the  Evanorelists. 

o 

Whether  this  claim  be  suflaciently  well-founded  or  not,  is  a 
question  which  it  is  not  my  province  to  decide  for  others.  I  would 
have  each  one  settle  this  question  for  himself,  by  a  diligent  and 
faithful  exercise  of  the  faculties  which  God  has  given  him,  taking 
heed  that  he  be  not  deceived.  And  I  may  here  add,  that  every 
year,  men  of  acute  penetration,  sound  learning,  and  humble  spirit, 
are  settling  this  question  m  their  own  minds  beyond  a  doubt ;  — ^ 
settling  it,  too,  in  that  way  which  the  spirit  of  true  religion,  as  well 


THE    SECOND    COMING    OF    THE    LORD. 


6::J 


)i 


i 


as  of  sound   philosophy,  dictates  —  by  honest,  patient,  prayerful, 
and  thorough  examination. 

Nor  is  it  my  purpose  now,  to  prove  that  the  theological  writings 
of  Swedenborg  are  of  such  a  character  as  justly  entitles  them  to 
the  claim  of  being  regarded  as  a  fulfillment  of  the  prophecies  con- 
cerning the  second  coming  of  the  Lord.     I  design  only  to  show, 
that  the  doctrine  revealed  for  the  New  Church  concerning  the 
Lord's  second   advent,   is  in  strict   agreement  with    enlight(^ned 
reason,  and  the  teachings  of  Scripture.     This  doctrine  is,  that  the 
prophecies  referring  to  this  event  are  to  have  not  a  literal  but  a 
spiritual  fulfillment ;  i.  e.  that  the  second  appearing  of  the  Lord  is 
not  to  be  in  person,  or  in  a  manner  agreeing  with  the  strict  letter 
of  the  text  in  which  it  is  foretold ;  but  that  it  is  to  be  in  the  power 
and  glory   of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  ~  His  own  truth 
unfolded  to  a  more  interior  degree,  and  in  a  more  luminous  manner 
than  ever  before. 

Is  this  the  true  doctrine  concerning  the  second  cominrr  of  the 
Lord  ?  is  the  question  we  are  now  to  consider. 

Although  different  opinions  have  been  entertained  by  Christians 
respecting  the  nature  or  manner  of  the  second  advent,  I  shall 
notice  here  only  the  one  which  has  been  most  prevalent.*  This  is 
the  opinion,  that  the  prophecy  concerning  the  Lord's  second  appear- 
ing "upon  the  clouds  of  heaven,''  was  intended  to  have  an  outward 
and  literal  fulfillment ;  and  that,  accordingly,  at  some  future  time, 
this  material  universe  will  be  utterly  destroyed  —  the  light  of  the 
sun  will  be  extinguished,  the  stars  will  fall  from  their  heavenly 
spheres,  and  then  the  Lord  will  appear  in  person  upon  the  natural 
clouds,  and  visible  to  the  natural  eyes  of  men. 

This,  I  may  say,  has  been  the  general,  and  almost  universal  faith 
of  the  Christian  Church  upon  this  subject.  It  appears  to  have 
been  the  faith  of  the  Apostles  themselves.  And  Paul  speaks  as 
if  he  expected  it  to  take  place  during  his  lifetime,  or  that  of  some 
of  his  contemporaries;  for,  referring  to  this  event,  he  says  :  *'  Then 
we  which  are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught  up  together  with 
them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air  "  (L  Thes.  iv.  17). 
But  we  know  that  this  event,  according  to  the  literal  import  of  the 
language,  did  not  take  place  during  the  days  of  the  apostles.    It  is 


*  For  a  faithful  and  elaborate  examination  of  each  of  the  theories  on  this 
subject,  the  reader  is  referred  to  an  able  work  on  "  the  Plenary  Inspiration  of 
the  Scriptures,"  by  Rev.  S.  Noble  — Lect.  iv. 


^4 


THE    SECOND    COMING   OF    THE    LORD. 


possible,  however,  that  Paul  may  have  attached  a  spiritual  meaning 
to  this  lanooiafre  as  he  used  it.  But  if  he  did  not,  then  it  is  cer- 
tain  that  he  was  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  time  of  the  second  advent. 
And  was  he  not  just  as  liable  to  be  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  man- 
ner, as  in  regard  to  the  time  of  this  event  ? 

Now — setting  aside  the  current  belief  of  the  Christian  Church 
on  this  subject  for  so  many  centuries  —  I  see  not  how  it  is  possible 
for  any  candid  and  reflecting  man  to  read  with  attention  those 
chapters  wherein  the  second  appearing  of  the  Lord  is  foretold, 
without  having  serious  doubts  awakened  in  his  mind,  whether  this 
prophecy  was  ever  intended  to  be  literally  fulfilled.  He  can  hardly 
help  doubting  whether  the  prophetic  announcement  immediately 
preceding  this,  respecting  the  extinction  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and 
the  falling  of  the  stars  from  heaven,  were  intended  to  receive  a 
literal  accomplishment.  And  if  he  doubt  whether  this  ought  to 
be  understood  and  interpreted  literally,  he  cannot  help  doubting 
whether  that  which  immediately  follows,  concerning  the  second 
appearing  of  the  Lord  upon  the  clouds,  was  designed  to  be  under- 
stood accordinof  to  the  letter. 

Besides,  we  know  that  the  prophecies  concerning  the  Lord's  first 
advent,  were  fulfilled  in  a  manner  quite  diflerent  from  what  the 
Jewish  church  expected.  So  Uttle  did  that  church  understand  the 
ti-ue  meaning  of  their  own  Scriptures,  that  when  He  came  who  was 
therein  prophesied  of,  his  character  and  advent  were  so  different 
from  what  they  had  vainly  imagined,  that  they  treated  Him  as  an 
impostor  —  condemned  and  crucified  Him  as  a  malefactor.  Why, 
then,  should  we  not  expect  that  the  prophecy  concerning  the  Lord's 
second  appearing  would  be  as  much  misunderstood  until  after  that 
event,  as  were  those  relating  to  his  first  advent  ?  Judging  from 
the  past,  it  were  reasonable  to  suppose  that,  when  He  makes  his 
second  appearance,  it  would  be  in  some  manner  different  from  the 
general  expectation  of  the  Christian  Church  —  so  dilBferent,  indeed, 
that  He  would  not  at  first  be  generally  known  or  acknowledged  ; 
nay,  that  He  would  be  rejected,  mocked,  and  spit  upon  by  Chris- 
tians, as  at  his  first  advent  He  was  by  Jews. 

Then,  in  the  chapters  containing  the  prophecy  in  question,  we 
are  commanded  by  the  Lord  himself  to  ''  watch,"  lest  we  be  de- 
ceived. "  For  there  shall  arise,"  He  says,  '•  false  Christs  and 
false  prophets,  and  shall  show  great  signs  and  wonders ;  insomuch, 
that,  if  it  were  possible,  they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect."  (Matt, 
xxiv,  24.)    And  again:  "Take  heed  that  no  man  deceive  you:  for 


THE    SECOND    COMING    OF   THE    LORD.  55 

Z^e  maty." ""'  "  ""^  '^"'  '"^"^'  ^  ^  "^^"^^ '  ^"^  '^^^  de- 
Now,  if  our  Saviour  had  intended  the  prophecy  concerning  his 
second  commg  to  be  understood  and  fulfilled  according  to  the  ftri 
import  of  the  letter,  what  possible  need  were  there  of^,"  'ri 

Wn  d.  "^"To     i"^  ^'""'"'^  •  ^"  "'"'  *=^^^'  ^'^^  ^-^'^  -nen  have 
been  deceived  ?     How  were  it  possible  for  impostors  to  practice 
the.r  arts  of  deception  ?     For,  who  could  ascend  upon  the  natu  al 
c  ouds  and  invest  himself  with  a  brilliant  halo,  and' hu    app    ^  a 
the  Lord  commg  in  His  glory?     This,  surely,  is  not  in  thf'pow 
of  any  mortal.     Is  .t  not  plain,  then,  that  the  Lord  never  intended 
to  teach  m  this  prophecy  that  his  second  coming  is  to  he  in  person 
and  upon  the  natural  clouds  ?     For,  had  this  bee°n  His  meaninTHe' 
certamly  would  not  have  counseled  men  to  take  heed  lest  th^;  be 
deceived.     It  were  not  possible  for  ''false  Christs  "  to  appear  in 
this  manner  ;  and  hence,  there  were  no  opportunity  for  deception 
to  be  practiced  upon  any  one.  -^  i  i^     " 

It  is,  therefore,  manifest  that  the  Lord  never  intended  His  sec- 
ond advent  to  be  m  a  form  addressed  to  the  outward  corporeal  vi- 

W..  o!  *°  *'  T  °'  *''  ™"'-'°  *^  understanding  and  the 
hearts  of  men  ;  for,  upon  no  other  hypothesis  are  we  able  to  see 
how  false  Christs  could  appear,  "and  deceive  many  " 

But  in  respect  to  the  things  which  are  addressed  to  the  human 
understanding,  we  know  that  men  are  liable  to  be  deceived.     Wc 
know  that  they  often  have  been  deceived.     We  know  that  falsehood 
sometunes  robes  itself  in  the  guise  of  truth.     We  know  that  there 
have  been  many  religious  impostors  and  fanatics  -  many  preUnd- 
ers  to  divme   revelations,   and   many  teachers  of  false  doctrines 
mce  the  time  of  the  Lord's  first  advent ;  and  not  a  few  innocent- 
minded  persons  have  been  deceived  and  misled  by  them.     And 
thus   have   been   fulfilled   these   words  of  the  Lord :  "  For  false 
Chnsts  and  false  prophets  shall  arise,  and  shall  show  sio-ns  and 
wonders,  to  seduce,  if  possible,  even  the  elect."  '^ 

The  Lord's  caution,  therefore,  to  take  heed  lest  we  be  deceived 
in  regard  to  his  second  appearing,  may  be  taken  as  proof  positive 
that  this  advent  of  Himself  is  not  to  be  in  a  form  addressed  to  the 
otau,ard  but  to  the  inward  sense -to  the  mind;  for,  in  respect  to 
the  things  addressed  to  our  understanding,  we  are  liable  lo  be  de- 
ceived. Hence  the  reason  of  the  command  to  "  watch  "  and  "take 
heed  lest  we  accept  false  Christs  for  the  true  one.  And  we 
rvaicA,  not  when  we  ignorantly  oppose  and  blindly  reject  whatever 


i 


66 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


67 


assumes  to  be  a  new  revelation ;  but  when  we  faithfully  exercise 
the  rational  powers  that  God  has  given  us,  in  examining  and 
judging  the  merits  of  that  which  claims  to  be  an  authorized  reve- 
lation of  heavenly  truth.  Unless  we  do  tkzis  watch,  we  are  in 
danger,  on  the  one  hand,  of  accepting  the  wildest  ravings  of  fa- 
naticism for  the  veritable  teachings  of  the  Word  of  God  ;  or,  on 
the  other,  of  rejecting  the  Truth  Itself,  whenever  it  may  please 
God  to  reveal  it. 

It  deserves  also  to  be  remarked  in  this  connection,  that  there 
have  been  many  excellent  and  eminent  men  in  the  church,  who 
have  beheved  that  more  hght  is  yet  to  break  forth  out  of  the  Sa- 
cred Volume  —  that  there  is  to  be  some  further  revelation,  to  assist 
the  Christian  world  in  rightly  understanding  the  Holy  Scripture. 
And  not  a  few  have  believed  that  such  a  revelation  would  accom- 
pany, or  immediately  precede,  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord.  It 
was  the  expectation  of  the  primitive  church,  that,  before  the  sec- 
ond coming,  some  precursor  would  appear  —  some  divinely  author- 
ized expounder  of  the  Scripture,  especially  the  prophetical  parts  ; 
and  a  similar  expectation  has  been  encouraged  by  writers  of  more 
recent  date.  Thus,  Dr.  Burnett,  in  his  Sacred  Theory  of  tlie 
Earth,  remarks : 

"Put  some  divine  person  may  appear  before  the  second  coming 
of  our  Saviour,  as  these  [Eiias  and  John  the  Baptist]  did  before  His 
first  coming ;  and,  by  giving  a  new  light  and  life  to  the  Christian 
doctrine,  may  dissipate  the  mists  of  error,  and  abolish  all  those  lit- 
tle (] )  controversies  amongst  good  men,  and  the  divisions  and  ani- 
mosities that  spring  from  them;  enlarging  their  spirits  by  greater 
discoveries,  and  uniting  them  all  in  the  bonds  of  love  and  charity.'* 
— Vol.  2,  p.  52. 

Mr.  Benson,  in  his  Hulsean  Lectures,  says : 

"  Darkness  is  upon  the  face  of  the  prophetic  creation,  and  the 
spirit  of  God  must  move,  ere  it  can  be  broken  and  dispersed  ;  and 
we  must  either  wait  for  some  inspired  interpreter  to  unravel  its  intri- 
cacy, or  sit  down  in  contented  expectation  for  that  period  of  bles- 
sedness, in  which  the  difficulties  of  Christianity  shall  be  swallowed 
up  in  the  glory  of  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord,  as  the  seeming 
inconsistencies  of  the  Jewish  scheme  were  illuminated  by  the  bright- 
ness of  His  first." — p.     138. 

Mr.  Pearson,  in  his  Prophetical  Character  of  the  Apocalypse, 
remarks  : 


i  I 


r 


"  From  considering  the  peculiar  character  of  these  prophecies,  we 
may  derive  reasonable  ground  for  believing  that  God  would  vouchsafe 
some  future  revelation  of  His  will,  in  which  the  indistinct  parts  of 
them  would  be  more  completely  cleared  up." — p.  32- 

Mr.  Myers,  in  his  Introduction  to  the  **  Conciones  Basilicae," 
says : 

"  What  we  desire  is,  a  Newtonian  theory  of  prophecy,  which  shall 
explain  them  all.  And  why  should  we  not  look  forward  to  some 
theological  Newton,  who  may  be  permitted  to  throw  the  light  o^ 
chastened  reason  on  the  firmament  of  prophecy,  and  be  hailed  as  a 
divinely  sent  teacher  of  the  church  in  the  mysteries  of  the  future? 
Surely,  one  chief  means  of  disciplining  the  mind,  and  preparing  the 
way  for  such  an  expounder  of  holy  things,  is  a  strong  conviction 
that,  on  the  whole,  previous  expounders  have  failed.''^  —  p.   15. 

Professor  Gaussen,  a  distinguished  German  writer  and  theolo- 
gian, looking  forward  with  joyful  anticipations  to  the  second  cominf>- 
of  the  Lord,  as  to  an  event  which  would  be  accompanied  by  a  bet- 
ter understanding  of  the  Sacred  Volume,  remarks : 

"As  it  happens  in  the  long-concealed  depths  of  those  crystalline 
caverns  into  which  torches  are  carried,  the  rising  of  the  day  of  Je- 
sus Christ,  inundating  all  things  in  its  glory,  will  penetrate  all  the 
Scriptures  with  its  light,  and  there  revealing  to  us  on  every  side 
diamonds  never  before  perceived,  will  make  them  blaze  resplendent 
with  a  thousand  fires.  Then  the  beauty,  the  wisdom,  the  propor- 
tion, and  the  harmony  of  all  their  revelations  will  be  manifest.  The 
history  of  the  past  should  make  us  already  anticipate  that  of  the 
future ;  and  we  can  judge  by  facts  already  accomplished,  of  the 
splendor  of  the  light  which  is  to  be  poured  for  us  upon  the  Scriptures,  at 
the  second  coming  of  Christ." — Theopneusty,  p.  337.  Boston 
Edition. 

And  I  might  cite  numerous  pages  from  different  theological  writ- 
ers, of  similar  purport.  And  in  all  these  extracts  we  discover  a 
pretty  plain  foreshadowing  of  the  truth.  They  prove  conclusive- 
ly, that  some  such  divinely  authorized  interpreter  of  the  Scripture 
as  the  herald  of  the  New  Jerusalem  claims  to  be,  has  not  been 
wholly  unlooked  for  by  the  men  of  the  first  Christian  Church. 
They  show  us  that  there  have  been  those  who  have  not  only  felt 
the  need  of  a  new  revelation,  but  who  have  confidently  looked  for 
ic,  and  believed  that  it  would  be  granted; — a  revelation  which 
would  unlock  the  Divine  Oracles,  and  pour  new  light  and  beauty 
on  the  sacred  page  ;  and  that  this  revelation  would  be  intimately 
connected  with  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord. 


68 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


69 


Now  Swedenborg  says  that  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  "  is 
not  a  coming  in  person^  but  in  the  Word  which  is  from  Him,  and 
is  Himself. '"^  [T.  C.  R.,  776.]  He  also  teaches  that  the  Word 
contains  everywhere  a  spiritual  sense,  which  is  to  the  sense  of  the . 
letter  what  the  soul  of  man  is  to  the  body.  Consequently  this 
spiritual  senee  is  the  real  Word,  as  the  soul  or  spirit  is  the  real 
man.  The  literal  sense,  considered  by  itself  apart  from  the  spirit- 
ual, is  not  the  Word,  as  the  body  of  a  man  when  the  spirit  has 
departed  from  it  is  not  the  man.  Accordingly  Swedenborg  fur- 
ther says,  that  **  the  spiritual  sense  is  the  essential  Word."  There- 
fore the  unfolding  and  revealing  of  this  spiritual  sense  would  be  ? 
comino"  of  the  true  and  essential  Word  to  the  minds  of  men.  Fo; 
men  would  then  have  a  right  understanding  of  the  Word ;  ant^ 
not  before  we  understand  it  aright,  can  the  real  Word  be  said  tr 
have  come  to  us.  It  is  to  us  a  false  Word,  so  long  as  we  misun 
derstand  and  misinterpret  its  meaning.  And  the  endless  contro- 
versies that  have  been  carried  on  in  the  church,  and  the  endless 
variety  of  opinions  that  have  been  and  still  exist  among  biblic^> 
scholars,  in  regard  to  the  meaning  of  the  Divine  Word,  combine  tc 
show  that  it  must  be  misunderstood  and  misinterpreted  by  a  large 
portion  of  Christendom  at  least ;  for  where  there  are  a  numbej 
of  conflicting  expositions,  they  certainly  cannot  all  —  cannot  more 
than  one  —  be  right.  They  may,  however,  all  be  wrong.  Ye^ 
all  who  read  the  Word  reverently,  under  the  influence  of  the  spirii 
of  truth,  receive  therefrom,  by  influx,  so  much  of  its  spiritual  sens<> 
as  makes  it  to  them  the  Word  of  Life. 

In  the  texts  which  speak  of  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord,  Hf» 
is  called  the  Son  of  Man  ;  and  it  is  said  that  He  would  be  see? 
**  coming  upon  the  clouds  of  heaven,  with  power  and  great  glory." 
^  Now  according  to  Swedenborg,  this  prophecy  finds  its  fulfillment 
in  the  unfolding  and  revealing  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  SacreJ 
Scripture,  which  is  a  coming  of  the  real  and  essential  Word  to  the 
imderstandings  and  hearts  of  those  who  are  prepared  to  receive  it 
The   Son  of  Man,  he  says,  denotes  the  Lord  in  respect  to  tht 
Word,  or  the  divine   Truth,  which  is  from  Him  and  is  Himself. 
The  douch  denote  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  in  which  the  gen- 
uine truth  lies  more  or  less  obscured.     They  are  called  the  dou(h 
of  heaven,  because  heavenly  things—  all  good  and  true  princi- 
ples—  all  that  makes  the  life  and  delight  of  heaven  — dwell  within 
or  underneath  the  letter.     Consequently,  the  coming  of  the  Son  of 
Man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  denotes  the  coming  to  human  minds 


thus  to  the  church — of  that  higher  and  purer  form  of  truth,  which 

has  hitherto  been  concealed  as  it  were  in  a  cloud.  In  other  words, 
it  denotes  the  unfolding  and  revealing  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word  through  the  obscurity  or  dowd  of  the  letter.  And  because, 
in  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word,  truth  is  of  a  more  clear,  con- 
sistent, and  luminous  character,  and  consequently  is  more  power- 
ful and  efi'ective  in  its  regenerating  mfluence  (for  the  more  clearly 
any  truth  is  seen  the  more  it  afl'ects  us),  therefore  this  coming  is 
said  to  be  "  with  power  and  great  glory." 

This  is  a  summary  exposition  of  the  prophecy,  according  to 
Swedenborg's  exegesis.  Is  this  the  true  interpretation  of  the  text  ? 
In  other  words,  is  it  one  which  is  supported  and  confirmed  by  the 
Scripture  itself?     We  appeal  "to  the  law  and  to  the  testimony." 

First,  then,  it  appears  evident  from  the  repeated  declarations  of 
this  faithful  and  true  Witness,  that  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  or  Divine 
Truth.  In  the  gospel  of  John  it  is  written  :  *'  In  the  beginning 
was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  God  was  the 
Word.  In  Him  [i.  e.,  in  the  Word]  was  life  ;  and  the  life  was  the 
li<.ht  of  men,  and  the  light  shineth  in  darkness,  and  the  darkness 
comprehended  it  not.  [This]  was  the  True  Light,  which  lighteth 
every  man  that  cometh  into  the  world."  [i.  1,  4,  59.]  It  is  also 
said  that  this  Word,  or  Light,  *' was  in  the  world,  and  the  world 
knew   Him   not;"    that  '*  He   became    flesh    and    dwelt  among 

men,"  &c. 

Now  we  learn  from  this,  that  God,  who  came  into  this  natural 
world  in  a  personal  form,  and  manifested  Himself  to  men  as  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  The  Word  ;  and  also  that  He,  or  the  Word, 
is  the  lioht  of  all  men,  yet  shining  in  darkness.  And  that  natural 
light  and  darkness  are  not  here  referred  to,  but  spiritual,  i.  e.  the 
light  of  truth  which  illustrates,  and  the  darkness  of  error  which 
obscures  the  human  understanding,  must  be  obvious  to  every 
one. 

In  another  passage  of  John's  gospel  it  is  written,  that  Jesus 
said  :  "As  long  as  I  am  in  the  world,  I  am  the  Light  of  the 
world."  (ix.  5.)  And  again,  when  the  people  inquired  :  "  Who 
is  this  Son  of  Man  ?  "  the  Lord's  answer  was  :  "  Yet  a  Uttle  while 
is  the  Light  with  you.  Walk  while  ye  have  the  Light,  lest  dark- 
ness come  upon  you  :  for  he  that  walketh  in  darkness  knoweth  not 
whither  he  goeth.  While  ye  have  the  light,  believe  in  the  light, 
that  ye  may  be  the  children  of  light** 

Here  we  have  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  Himself,  that  the  Son 


70 


THE    SECOND    COMING    OF    THE    LORD. 


THE    SECOND    COMING    OF    THE    LORD. 


71 


of  Man  is  the  Light ;  by  which  is  evidently  meant  not  natural  but 
spiritual  light,  or  Divine  Truth. 

Again  :  It  is  recorded  in  the  same  gospel,  that  Jesus  saith  :  "I 
am  come  a  light  into  the  world,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  me 
should  not  abide  in  darkness.  He  that  rejecteth  me  and  receiveth 
not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him  ;  the  Word  that  I  have 
spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day."  (xii.  46,  48.) 
Again  we  read  :  "And  Jesus  said,  for  judgment  I  am  come 
into  this  world,  that  they  who  see  not  might  see,  and  that  they 
who  see  might  be  made  bUnd."  (ix.  39.) 

Now,  from  one  of  these  passages  we  learn  that  the  Lord  Him- 
self came  for  judgment ;  and  in  the  other  it  is  said  that  His 
Word  shall  judge  men.  The  unavoidable  inference,  therefore,  is, 
that  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  or  the  Divine  Tnith  itself. 

It  is  said  also  in  other  places,  that  the  Lord  "  came  down  from 
heaven,"  (John  vi.  38)  ;  that,  "  He  who  cometh  from  above  is 
above  all,"  &c.  (iii.  31).  And  when  the  people,  on  one  occasion, 
told  Jesus  that  '*  bread  from  heaven,"  or  "manna,"  was  given  to 
their  fathers  to  eat  in  the  desert,  and  asked  Him,  "What  sign 
showest  tk(m  then,  that  we  may  see  and  believe  thee  ?  What  dost 
thou  work  ?"*'  He  saith  to  them  in  reply:  "  I  am  the  Hving  bread 
which  came  down  from  heaven.  If  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he 
shall  hve  forever;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which 
I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world.  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  His 
blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and  drink- 
eth  my  blood,  hath  eternal  Ufe  ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last 
day.  For  my  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed. 
He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me, 
and  I  in  him.  This  is  that  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven  : 
not  as  your  fathers  did  eat  manna,  and  are  dead  :  he  that  eateth 
of  this  bread  shall  hve  forever."  (vi.  51—59.)  But  the  Jews,  un- 
derstanding these  words  of  the  Lord  m  their  strictly  hteral  sense, 
"strove  among  themselves,  saying,  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh 
to  eat  ?  "  And  even  the  disciples,  "  when  they  heard  it,  said,  This 
is  an  hard  saying ;  who  can  hear  it  ?  "  Then  the  Lord  tells  them, 
by  way  of  explanation,  "  It  is  the  Spirit  that  quickeneth  ;  the  flesh 
profiteth  nothing;  the  words  thai  I  speak  unto  you  are  spirit  ojid  are 

lifer  (v.  63.) 

Here,  then,  is  divine    testimony  that   the    Lord's   words   are 

spirit  and  life  ;  and  further,  that  they  are  what  is  signified  by  the 


t 


ilesh  and  blood  of   the  Son  of  Man,  and  also  by  the  living  bread 
which    came    down  from  heaven,  which   the    Lord  declares  to 

be  Himself.  . , 

But  there  are  other  texts  which  aflFord  incontrovertible  evidence 
that  the  Son  of  Man  so  often  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament, 
signifies  the  Word,  or  the  Lord  Himself  in  respect  to  the  principle 

of  Divine  Truth. 

We  all  know  that  Divine  Truth  is  not,  and  from  its  very  nature 
cannot  be,  confined  to  time  or  place.  In  itself  considered,  it  is  the 
same  now  that  it  always  has  been,  and  always  will  be -the  same 
with  the  angels  in  heaven  as  with  men  on  earth.  It  differs  in  dif- 
ferent individuals,  it  is  true,  on  account  of  the  difference  m  theu- 
moral  quality  or  state  of  reception ;  for  it  is  well  known  that  the 
same  truth,  falling  into  different  minds,  will  receive  a  different  com- 
plexion, corresponding  to  the  difference  hi  the  form  or  quahty  of 
those  minds.  But,  absolutely  considered,  Divine  Truth  is  un- 
changeable ;  the  same  in  heaven  and  on  earth  ;  the  same  yester- 
dav,  to-day  and  forever. 

Now  we  read  in  the  gospel  of  John,  that  "  No  »an  hath  as- 
cended up  to  heaven,  but  He  that  came  down  from  heaven,  ev'en 
the  Son  of  Man  who  is  in  heaven."  (iii.  13.)     These  are  the  Lord's 
own  words,  while  he  was  upon  earth.     And  can  it,  therefore  be 
supposed   that  the   Son  of   Man   here   signifies   that  natura    or 
material    person,    which    the    Lord    derived    from  the   mother 
Mary  '     Certainly  not ;  for  in  respect  to  that.  He  had  not  previ- 
ously been  in  heaven,  and,  of  course,  could  not  have  come  down 
from  heaven.     Neither  could  it  be  said  of  Him  in  this  natura 
sense,  that  He  was  in  heaven  while  pronouncing  these  words      But 
if  we  understand  the  Divine  Truth  to  be  here  signified  by  the  Son 
of  Man,  the  interpretation  of  the  passage  becomes  easy  and  mtelh- 
ffible  •    for   Truth,  as  we   have  remarked,  is  not  controlled  by 
L  limitations  of  time  or  space.     It  is  the  rule  of  life  for  angels 
and  men,  and  is,  therefore,  at  the  same  time  m  heaven  and  on 

A<^ain  •  The  Son  of  Man  is  frequently  spoken  of  in  the  Evange- 
lists °as  coming  to  judge  the  world.  To  cite  but  a  single  passage 
of  this  kind  ;  "  The  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed 
all  iudcment  unto  the  Son  ;  and  hath  also  given  him  authority  to 
execute"  judgment,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  Man."  (John  v.  22,  27.) 
But  in  the  same  gospel  the  Lord  says  :  "  He  that  rejecteth  me  and 
receiveth  not  my  words,  hath  one  that  judgeth  him ;  the  Word  that 


72 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


I  have  spoken,  the  same  shall  judge  him  in  tire  last  day/'  (John 
xii.  48.)  Can  anything  be  more  demonstrative  than  this?  It  is 
said  in  chapter  5th,  and  often  elsewhere,  that  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
judge  the  world ;  and  here  the  Lord  declares  that  it  is  His  Word 
which  shall  judge  men.  Whence  we  conclude  that  the  Son  of 
Man  is  the  Word,  or  the  Divine  Truth,  and  signifies  this  when  used 
in  Scripture.  Indeed,  this  is  distinctly  affirmed  by  the  Lord  Him- 
self in  one  passage,  where  He  says:  **I  am  the  Way,  and  the 
Truth,  and  the  Life.*'  (John  xiv.  6.) 

I  cannot  leave  this  part  of  the  subject  without  directing  the 
attention  of  the  reader  to  one  other  text,  which  is  found  in  Reve- 
lation xix.  It  is  this  :  **  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  behold  a  white 
horse  ;  and  He  that  sat  on  him  is  called  Faithful  and  True,  and  in 
righteousness  doth  He  judge  and  make  war.  His  eyes  were  as  a 
flame  of  fire,  and  on  His  head  were  many  crowns.  And  He  had 
a  name  written  which  no  man  knew  but  He  Himself ;  and  He  was 
clothed  in  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood  ;  and  His  name  is  called  The 
Word  of  God.'' 

K'ow  it  is  a  fact,  which  may  seem  a  little  remarkable  to  those 
who  know  nothing  of  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word,  that,  in  every 
passage  where  the  Lord's  second  coming  is  spoken  of,  except  this 
in  the  Revelation,  He  is  called  the  Son  of  Man ;  and  in  this  pas- 
sage. He  whom  the  Revelator  saw  sitting  upon  a  white  horse,  and 
followed  by  the  armies  of  heaven,  is  called  The  Word  of  God. 
According  to  the  Science  of  Correspondences,  which  will  be  ex- 
plained in  a  future  lecture,  to  sit  or  ride  upon  a  white  horse,  when 
predicated  of  the  Lord,  signifies  to  illustrate  the  minds  of  men,  or 
to  impart  imto  them  a  clear  understanding  of  the  truth.  This  is  done 
by  means  of  the  Word  in  its  spiritual  sense,  which  is  now  unfold- 
ed, and  is  what  is  signified  by  heaven  being  opened. 

"  By  heaven  being  seen  open,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  is  signified  a 
revelation  from  the  Lord,  and  consequent  manifestation,  as  will  be 
seen  presently  ;  by  a  horse  is  meant  the  understanding  of  the  Word, 
and  by  a  white  horse  the  interior  understanding  or  meaning  of  the 
Word  ;  and  as  this  is  signified  by  a  white  horse,  and  as  tlie  spirit- 
ual sense  is  the  interior  meaning  of  the  Word,  therefore,  that  sense 
is  hereby  sicrnified  by  a  white  horse.  The  reason  why  this  is  the 
coming  of  the  Lord,  is,  because  by  that  sense  it  manifestly  appears 
that  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  and  that  the  Word  treats  of  Him  alone, 
and  that  He  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  that  from  Him 
alone  the  New  Church  has  its  existence.  Every  one  who  does  not 
think  beyond  the  sense  of  Ihe  letter,  believes  that,  when  the  last 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


73 


judgment  shall  come  to  pass,  the  Lord  will  appear  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  with  the  angels  and  a  sound  of  trumpets  ;  still,  that  this  is 
not  meant,  but  that  He  will  appear  in  the  Word,  may  be  seen  in 
the  explanation  above,  n.  24,  692  ;  and  the  Lord  appears  manifestly 
in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  ;  from  that  sense,  indeed,  it  is 
discovered  not  only  that  He  is  the  Word,  i.  e.,  Divine  Truth  itself, 
but  that  He  is  the  inmost  of  the  Word,  and  thence  the  all  thereof, 
and  also  that  He  is  the  one  God,  in  whom  there  is  a  trinity,  con- 
sequently the  only  God  of  heaven  and  earth ;  and,  moreover,  that 
He  came  into  the  world  to  glorify  his  humanity,  i.  e.y  to  make  it 
divine."  (A.  R.  820.) 

The  Son  of  Man,  then,  is  used  in  the  New  Testament  to  denote 
the  Lord  in  respect  to  the  Word,  or  Divine  Truth.  But  the  true 
meanino-  of  the  Word  lies  not  in  the  literal  but  in  the  spiritual  sense. 
Consequently  a  second  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  would  signify  a 
coming  of  this  spiritual  sense  to  the  understandings  and  hearts  of 
men  ;  or  a  more  luminous  exhibition  of  Divine  Truth  to  the  church, 
than  what  appears  in  the  literal  sense  of  Scripture.  It  would 
sio-nify  a  clearer  and  fuller  unfolding  of  God's  Truth,  than  was 
vouchsafed  to  the  first  Christian  Church.  A  revelation,  therefore, 
of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  and  of  the  great,  fundamental 
doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion,  which  have  been  misunderstood 
m  the  church  —  such  a  revelation,  indeed,  as  the  one  made  through 
Swedenborg  claims  to  be,  would,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the 
Bible,  be  a  real  coming  of  the  real  Son  of  Man. 

But  it  is  said  in  the  Evangelists  that  the  Son  of  Man  will  be 
seen  coming  in  the  clouds,  or  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  And  in  the 
Revelation  —  a  book,  which,  in  its  spiritual  sense,  treats  of  the  con- 
summation of  the  first  Christian  Church,  and  of  the  Lord's  second 
advent  to  establish  a  New  Church,  called  the  New  Jerusalem  —  we 
read:  **  Behold,  He  cometh  with  clouds.''  (i.  7.)  And  again,  in 
another  chapter  of  the  same  book:  **And  I  looked,  and  behold  a 
white  cloud,  and  upon  the  cloud  sat  one  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man, 
having  on  his  head  a  golden  crown,  and  in  his  hand  a  sharp  sickle. 
And  he  that  sat  on  the  cloud  thrust  in  his  sickle  on  the  earth  ;  and 
the  earth  was  reaped."  (xiv.  14,  16.)  Now  if  any  one  affirm 
that  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  is  to  be  in  person,  and  upon 
the  natural  clouds,  and  if  he  maintain  this  position  upon  the  ground 
that  the  Sacred  Scripture,  in  its  obvious  and  literal  sense,  so  teaches, 
then  it  may  also  be  maintained,  upon  the  authority  of  this  same 
witness,  that  He  will  come  as  a  literal  reaper,  with  a  sharp  sickle 
in  His  hand,  which  he  will  thrust  into  the  ripe  harvest  of  the  earth. 


74 


THE    SECOND    COMING    OF    THE    LORD. 


and  lUeraUy  reap ;  or,  as  is  said  in  a  following  verse,  ''gather  th^ 
clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth."  For  the  Sacred  Scripture  does 
as  really  teach  the  one  as  the  other.  But,  rightly  interpreted,  it 
teaches  neither ;  however  it  may  appear,  to  the  apprehension  of 
natural  men,  to  teach  both. 

We  will  now  endeavor  to  ascertain  the  true  Scripture  meaning  of 
this  word  clouds ;  and  then  we  shall  see  why  the  Lord's  second 
advent  is  said  to  be  in  or  upon  the  clouds  —  sometimes  the  clouds 
of  heaven. 

If  the  Son  of  Man  is  to  be  understood  spiritually,  as  denoting 
the  Lord  in  respect  to  the  divine  truth  which  proceeds  from  Him 
and  is  Himself,  then  it  is  manifest  that  clouds  must  also  have  a 
spiritual  meaning;  for  Divine  Truth,  surely,  could  not  come  upon  the 
Hteral  clouds  in  our  atmosphere.  What  then  are  we  to  understand 
by  clouds  in  this  passage  ?  According  to  Swedenborg  the  term 
clouds  is  employed  to  denote,  in  correspondential  language,  the  Ht- 
eral sense  of  the  Word,  whereby  the  spiritual  sense,  or  the  genuine 
truth,  is  more  or  less  obscured  ;  consequently  the  coming  of  the 
Son  of  Man  in  the  clouds,  denotes  the  manifestation  to  human  minds 
of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  in  or  upon  the  clouds  of  the  letter. 
They  are  called  in  Matthew,  the  clouds  of  heaven,  because  within  or 
underneath  them  is  concealed  the  bright  light  of  heaven's  own 
Sun  —  those  pure  laws  of  heavenly  order  and  hfe,  which  men,  in 
their  natural  state,  are  not  prepared  to  understand  or  obey.  It  is 
in  mercy  to  man,  therefore,  that  the  Lord  has  veiled  in  clouds  the 
genuine  truth  of  his  Word. 

How  far  is  this  signification  of  clouds  supported  by  reason  and 
Scripture  ?     Let  us  see. 

In  familiar  discourse,  nothing  is  more  common  than  to  hear 
people  say  of  a  subject  which  is  yet  unintelligible  to  them,  that  it 
is  misty,  cloudy,  or  enveloped  in  a  cloud.  This  is  often  said  of  the 
WTitings  of  Swedenborg,  by  persons  who  are  but  ill-informed  of 
their  real  character,  or  who  have  not  studied  them  sufficiently  to 
comprehend  their  meaning.  But  when  the  truth  breaks  in  upon  the 
mind,  and  the  subject  not  well  understood  before  becomes  clear 
and  intelligible,  then  it  is  said  that  the  mist  is  blown  away,  or  the 
cloud  that  hung  around  it  has  disappeared.  Now  the  obscurity  or 
cloudiness  of  a  subject  may  arise  from  one  of  two  causes ;  either 
from  the  impropriety  of  the  language  —  the  unsuitableness  of  the 
terms  employed  by  the  speaker  or  writer,  or  from  our  own  imper- 
fect knowedge  of  the  language,  and  ignorance  of  the  true  meaning 


* 


THE    SECOND    COMINO   OF    THE    LORD.  O 

of  the  terms  made  use  of.     Thus  the  cloud  may  either  be  in  the 
mind— in  tlie  ignorance  of  the  other  person,  who  has  failed  to 
clotlie  liis  subject  in  appropriate  language,  or  it  may  be  in  ourselves 
—in  our  own  ignorance  of  the  proper  meaning  of  his  language.     If 
our  difficulty  in  understanding  the  subject  arise  from  the  former  of 
these  two  causes,  then  it  can  be  removed  and  the  subject  be  made 
clear  to  our  minds,  only  by  some  further  explanation,  or  by  the  use 
of  different  and  more  appropriate  terms.     But  if  its  obscurity  arise 
from  the  latter  cause,  then,  since  the  cloud  is  within  ourselves,  it 
will  disappear  when  our  ignorance  shall  have  disappeared,  or  when 
we  shall  have  learned  the  meaning  of  the  terms  employed.     Then 
the  very  words,  which  before  were  meaningless,  and,  like  a  dense 
cloud,  concealed  from  our  minds  the  truth  in  relation  to  the  subject 
which  they  were  employed  to  elucidate,  become  significant  and  full 
of  meaning.     Then  these  very  words  are  luminous,  and  the  truth 
appears  in  or  upon  the  clouds. 

Now  if  we  will  carry  to  the  Word  the  consideration  here  pre- 
sented, we  shall  be  able  to  see  that  the  cloud,  or  the  whole  cause 
of  its  obscurity  and  unintelligibleness,  lies  within  ourselves  -  in 
our  icmorance  of  the  style  in  which  the  Word  is  composed,  and  of 
the  t^e  meaning  of  the  language  there  employed.  That  the  lan- 
jnia-re  of  the  Word  is  without  imperfection,  and  perfectly  appropriate 
to  the  subjects  treated  of,  is  evident  from  the  wisdom  and  perfection 
of  its  Author.  When  men  shall  have  learned  the  true  meaning  of 
this  language,  and  thus  shall  have  removed  the  cloud  of  ignorance 
from  their  own  minds,  then  even  the  letter  of  the  Word,  which 
before  appeared  so  cloudy  and  dark,  will  be  bright  and  lummous 
with  the  truth  that  beams  within.  Then  will  appear  the  Son  ot 
Man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  . 

We  see,  then,  that  the  familiar  language  of  men  furnishes  pre- 
sumptive evidence  at  least,  in  favor  of  the  spiritual  signification  of 
douds  as  given  in  the  writings  of  Swedenborg.     Turn  now  to  the 

testimony  of  Scripture. 

We  know  that  Jehovah  is  often  spoken  of  in  the  Sacred  Volume 
as  being  encompassed  with  clouds,  as  dwelling  in  clouds,  as  riding 
upon  the  clouds,  &c.  Thus  it  is  written  in  Psalms:  "  Smg  unto 
God,  sing  praises  to  his  name,  extol  Him  that  rideth  upon  the 
clouds*  by  his  name  Jah,  and  rejoice  before  Him."   (Ixvm.  i.) 

.  This  word,  ninny  {gneraboth,)  which,  In  our  common  English  version.  Is 
rendered  AraBer,.,  properly  Bignifies  the  evening,  ;  i.  e.  something  respectively 
dark  or  obscure. 


76 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


77 


^Vgain,  in  Isaiah  :  "Behold  Jehovah  rideth  npon  a  cloud  swiftly/' 
(xix.  1.)  And  in  Deut. :  "There  is  none  like  unto  the  God  of 
Jeshurun  who  rideth  in  the  heavens,  and  in  liis  magnificence  upon 
the  clouds."*  (xxxiii.  26.)  And  in  Psalms,  it  is  said,  "  Jehovah 
maketh  the  clouds  Ids  chariot."    (civ.  3.) 

Now  do  such  passages  as  these  convey,  I  will  not  say  a  rational, 
but  an  intelligible  idea,  if  clouds  be  understood  literally,  as  referring 
to  the  watery  particles  in  our  atmosphere  ?  Certainly  not.  But 
if  they  be  understood  to  denote  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  then 
the  meaning  of  these  texts  is  plain.  For  since  the  spiritual  sense 
of  the  Word  —  the  sense  in  which  the  angels  understand  it  —  is 
magnificent  in  comparison  with  its  hteral  sense,  and  since  the  spir- 
itual sense  rests  upon  the  literal  with  which  it  also  corresponds,  and 
through  the  medium  of  which  genuine  truth  is  conveyed  to  human 
minds,  therefore  it  is  said  in  Deuteronomy,  that  God  rideth  "  in 
his  magnificence  upon  the  clouds."  To  ride,  when  predicated  of 
the  Lord,  signifies  to  enhghten  the  human  mind.  And  to  ride  upon 
the  clouds  Avould  therefore  signify  to  enlighten  the  mind  by  means 
of  spiritual  truth,  communicated  through  the  medium  of  the  literal 
sense  of  the  W^ord.  Hence  also  may  be  seen  what  is  signified  by 
Jehovah  making  i\iQ  clouds  his  chariot  —  which  would  be  wholly 
unintelligible  wnthout  the  spiritual  sense.  The  literal  sense  of  the 
Sacred  Volume  is  the  vehicle  for  conveying  to  our  minds  things 
celestial  and  divine  —  the  love  and  wisdom  of  God.  Hence  the 
cloud  of  the  letter  becomes  most  truly  the  chariot  of  Jehovah. 

Again  in  Lamentations  ;  "  How  hath  the  Lord  covered  the 
daughter  of  Zion  with  a  cloud  in  his  an^er,  and  cast  down  from 
heaven  unto  the  earth  the  beauty  of  Israel!"  (  ii.  1.)  Israel 
and  the  daughter  of  Zion  evidently  signify  the  Church.  And  when 
the  beauty  of  Israel  is  cast  down  to  the  earth,  i.  e.,  when  the 
Church  is  immersed  in  falses  and  evils,  then  it  does  not  see  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  nor  acknowledge  that  there  is  any  such 
sense ;  and  by  resting  wholly  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  it  remains 
in  compartive  darkness  as  if  under  a  thick  cloud.  Thus  it  is  that 
"  the  Lord  covers  the  daughter  of  Zion  with  a  cloud." 

So  also  in  Joel,  where  the  coming  of  the  Lord  and  the  end  of 
the  former  Church  are  treated  of,  it  is  said  that  it  shall  be  "  a  day 


il^ 


*  This  is  the  true  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  word  Q'pni^  (shehaqim),  whic 
U  translated  shj  in  our  common  version.  Indeed,  the  same  word  is  translate 
clouds  in  other  places,  as  in  Psalms  xx.wi.  5,  cviii.  4. 


h 
lated 


I 


of  clouds  and  of  thick  darkness."  ( ii.  2.)  No  one  can  suppose 
that  natural  clouds  and  darkness  are  here  meant :  but  this  lam^ua^-e 
is  used  in  reference  to  the  state  of  the  Jewish  Church  at  the  time 
of  the  Lord's  advent.  By  day  is  denoted  state.  And  the  state  of 
that  Church  was  indeed  one  *'  of  clouds  and  thick  darkness,"  for 
it  was  immersed  in  gross  falses  which  darken  the  understanding, 
but  which  it  had,  nevertheless,  confirmed  by  some  appearances  of 
truth  in  the  letter  of  the  Word. 

Take  another  text  from  Psalms  ;  *'  God's  strength  is  in  the 
clouds."  (  Ixviii.  34.)  What  intelligible  idea  can  be  derived  from 
these  words,  if  clouds  be  understood  hterally,  as  denoting  the  vapor 
that  floats  in  our  atmosphere  ?  None  whatever.  But  in  the  wri- 
tings of  Swedenborg  we  are  shown  that  Divine  Truth  in  the  letter 
of  the  Word  is  in  its  ultimate  and  fullest  form  —  hence  in  its 
strength.  The  Word  of  God  in  its  hteral  sense  is  brought  down 
and  accommodated  to  the  lowest  states  of  men  in  the  natural  world; 
and  it  must  be  first  obeyed  in  this  lowest  or  literal  sense ;  other- 
wise the  Lord  can  have  no  power  to  remove  our  evils.  For  example, 
take  the  precept  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal."  This  has  a  spiritual  as 
well  as  a  literal  sense.  But  until  man  keeps  this  precept  literally, 
the  Lord  cannot  remove  from  his  mind  the  evil  which  is  condemned 
by  its  spiritual  sense.  Moreover  by  means  of  the  literal  sense. 
Divine  Truth  can  descend  to  men  and  affect  them  in  their  lowest 
states.  Through  this  medium  the  Lord  hath  power  or  ''  strength  " 
to  reach  and  save,  if  they  are  willing  to  be  saved,  even  the  worst 
of  men.  Thus  He  hath  all  power  on  earth  as  well  as  in  heaven. 
Hence  we  may  see  why  it  is  said  that  ''  God's  strength  is  in  the 
clouds." 

But  Divine  Truth  cannot  descend  lower  than  the  state  of  the 
natural  man,  nor  than  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  which  is  adapt- 
ed to  his  state.  It  terminates  in  the  literal  sense,  and  rests  upon  it 
like  a  house  upon  its  foundation.  Accordingly  it  is  said  in  Psalms, 
*'  For  thy  mercy  is  great  above  the  heavens,  and  thy  Truth 
[  reachcth]  unto  the  clouds."  (  cviii.  4.)  Now  would  it  not  be 
absurd  to  speak  of  Divine  Truth  extending  to  the  natural  clouds  ? 
But  by  means  of  the  immutable  law  of  correspondence,  it  does 
reach  even  to  the  letter  of  the  Word,  which  is  the  spiritual  import 
of  clouds. 

Then  again  we  find,  that,  on  various  important  occasions,  when 
truths  of  an  exalted  character  were  to  be  announced,  the  revelation, 
accord  in  o^  to  the  Sacred  Record,  was  made  from  the  clouds.     And 


78 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


79 


this  was  done  to  represent,  as  it  does  by  correspondence,  the  man- 
ner in  which  all  divine  truth  is  communicated  to  man.  It  is  uttered 
from  the  clouds.  The  Lord,  who  is  the  inmost,  soul  and  hfe  of  all 
Scripture  —  the  very  Truth  Itself  —  addresses  man  through  the 
medium  of  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  thus  from  the  clouds. 
Hence  when  the  Decalogue  was  given  on  mount  Sinai,  we  read  that 
*'  the  Lord  said  to  Moses,  Lo,  I  come  unto  thee  in  a  thick  cloud:' 
And  so  "it  came  to  pass  on  the  third  day  in  the  morning,  that 
there  were  thunderings  and  lightnings,  and  a  thick  cloud  upon  the 
mount.*'  (  Ex.  xix.  9,  25.)  Now  if  we  regard  the  thick  cloud 
here  mentioned  as  the  symbol  of  the  Word  in  its  literal  sense,  from, 
or  through  the  medium  of  which  the  Lord  comes  and  communicates 
to  our  minds  pure  spiritual  truth,  how  beautiful  and  expressive 
does  the  language  become. 

Ao-ain  :  when  Moses  was  called  up  into  the  mount  to  receive  the 
tables  of  the  law,  it  is  written  that  *'  a  cloud  covered  the  mount. 
And  the  o-lory  of  Jehovah  abode  upon  mount  Sinai,  and  the  cloud 
covered  it  six  days :  and  the  seventh  day  He  called  imto  Moses 
out  of  the  midst  of  the  cloud:'     (Ex.  xxiv.  15,  16.) 

Again:  when  the  children  of  Israel  were  journeying  through  the 
wilderness,  we  are  told  that  **  Jehovah  went  before  them  by  day  in  a 
pillar  of  a  cloud,  to  lead  them  the  way."    (  Ex.  xiii.  21.)  By  these 
words,  in  their  spiritual  sense,  is  denoted  the  comparative  cloudi- 
ness or  obscurity  of  truth,  previous  to  our  regeneration,  or  while 
the  Lord  is  leading  us  through  the  spiritual  wilderness,  and   con- 
ducting us  to   that  heavenly  state  of  mind  which  is  denoted  by 
Canaan.     He  does  not  permit  his  truth  to  shine  upon  us  with  noon- 
day splendor,  for  He  sees  that  we  could  not  bear  it.     It  would 
reveal  such  a  mountain  of  evil  within  us,  that  we  should  be  dis- 
heartened and  crushed  beneath  the  weight.  He,  therefore,  mercifully 
tempers  his  truth  to  our  state  —  veils  and  softens  its  eflPulgence 
with  a  cloud.     And  throughout  our  regeneration  we  must  look  con- 
tinually to  Him  in  the  cloud.     We  must  keep  the   Lord  as  mani- 
fested in  the  flesh,  or  his  truth  as  revealed  through   the  letter  of 
Scripture,  continually  before  us.     Thus  the   literal    sense    of  the 
Word,  irradiated  by  the  genuine  Divine  Truth  within,  is  the  ^Ular 
of  cloud  by  day  in  which  the  Lord  goeth  before  to  lead  us  on  our 

heavenly  way. 

These  passages  may  suffice  to  show  us,  not  only  that  clo^ids  are 
used  in  a  symbolic  or  spiritual  sense  in  the  Scripture,  but  that  the 
spiritual  meaning  of  the  term  must  be  what  Swedenborg  has  de- 


\ 


\ 


r 


clared.  And  if  this  be  well  estabUshed,  it  is  clear  that  the  nature 
of  the  Lord's  second  advent  can  be  jione  other  than  that  taught  in 
the  writings  of  the  New  Church. 

The  argument  presented  in  this  lectui'e  is  brief  and  simple. 
Summarily  stated  it  is  this  : 

1.  The  repeated  command  of  the  Lord  himself  to  ** Watch" 
lest  we  be  deceived  in  regard  to  his  second  advent  —  lest  we  mis- 
take some  false  Christ  for  the  true  one  —  is  proof  positive  that  the 
general  belief  of  Christians  in  regard  to  the  manner  of  His  second 
appearing  cannot  be  correct ;  because  no  impostor  could  simulate 
this  kind  of  advent,  and  consequently  no  one  would  be  in  danger 
of  being  **  deceived." 

2.  There  have  been  great  and  good  men  in  every  age  of  the 
Church,  who  have  believed  that  some  further  revelation,  similar  to 
that  alledged  to  have  been  made  through  Swedenborg,  would  be 
vouchsafed  to  the  Christian  world,  to  help  us  to  a  right  understand- 
ing of  the  Sacred  Scripture  ;  and  that  this  revelation  would  be  in- 
timately connected  in  some  way  with  the  second  coming  of  the 
Lord. 

3.  The  Son  of  Man  is  evidently  used  in  the  New  Testament  to 
denote  the  Lord  in  respect  to  the  Divine  Truth,  which  is  Himself. 
And  wherever  the  Lord's  second  coming  is  spoken  of.  He  is  called 
the  Son  of  Man,  except  in  Revelation  xix.  13,  where  "  His  name  is 
called  the  Word  of  God."  From  this  we  infer  that  the  predicted 
second  coming  of  the  Lord  is  not  to  be  a  personal  but  a  spiritual 
commcy  :  a  coming  to  His  church  of  a  better  understanding  of  the 
Word  —  a  coming  of  its  genuine  spiritual  meanmg. 

4.  It  is  manifest  from  many  texts  of  Scripture  that  clouds,  when 
mentioned  therein,  are  not  to  be  understood  in  their  literal  sense, 
but  as  denoting  the  apparent  truths  in  the  letter  of  the  Word  ; 
which  letter  softens,  tempers,  and  veils  the  resplendent  truth  of  the 
internal  or  spiritual  sense,  as  natural  clouds  do  the  light  of  the  sun. 
And  this  is  why  the  Lord's  coming  is  said  to  be  in  the  clouds 

of  heaven. 

Such  is  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  concerning  the  Lord's 
second  appearing,  and  such  is  some  of  the  testimony  on  which  it 
rests.  A  doctrine  at  once  beautiful,  intelligible,  rational,  scriptural, 
and  in  harmony  with  all  we  know  of  the  order  of  Providence,  and 
of  the  operations  of  the  Divine  Love.  It  is  a  coming  of  the  Lord 
to  human  minds  in  the  power  and  glory  of  His  own  Divine  Truth ; 


80 


THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  THE  LORD. 


SO  that  man,  by  means  of  greater  light,  may  attain  to  liighcr  de- 
grees of  purity  and  love,  and  to  a  more  intimate  consociation  with 
the  angels,  and  conjunction  with  the  Lord.  It  is  such  a  coming  as 
to  reveal,  in  an  eminent  degree,  the  love,  and  wisdom,  and  glory 

of  God. 

Sublimely  beautiful  and  interesting  is  this  second  appearing  of 
the  Son  of  Man  !     Powerful  and  glorious  are  the  truths  of  the  in- 
ternal sense  of  the  Word  now  revealed  !      For  they  show  us  that 
the  Lord's  words  are  indeed  spirit  and  life  ;  that  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture is  not  dead,  but  hath  a  livmg  Divine  Soul,  and,  when  rightly 
understood,  is  in  perfect  agreement  with  itself,  with  enlightened 
reason,  and  with  all  true  science.     This  spiritual  sense  or  soul  of 
the  Divine  Word  is  the  hfe  and  soul  of  all  true  knowledge  ;  —  the 
great  Sun  at  th«  centre  of  the  intellectual  and  moral  world,  from 
which  all  enduring  systems  of  government,  philosophy,  morals,  and 
religion,  must  receive  their  light  and  warmth,  and  according  to 
whose  guiding  wisdom  they  must  proceed,  if  they  contmue  to  re- 
volve.    It  comes,  too  — this  glorious  truth  — with  mighty  power  ; 
with  power  to  save  men's  souls  from  the  dominion  of  evil  loves 
and  false  persuasions ;  with  power  to  renovate  the  desert  church, 
and  make  her  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose.     Already  the  moun- 
tain mists  are  beginning  to  dissolve  and  disappear  before  the  rising 
Sun.     Already  have  science,  philosophy,  government,  art,  felt  the 
power  of  the  second  coming :  and  more  and  more  are  the  healing 
influences  of  the   New  Dispensation  to  be  seen  and  felt  in  the 
spiritual  renovation  of  the  church.     Well,  then,  may  *'  the  Spirit 
and  the   Bride   say,  Come.     And  let  him  that  heareth  say.  Come. 
And  let  him  that  is  athirst,  Come.     And  whosoever  will,  let  him 
take  water  of   life  freely.     He  that  testifieth  these  things  saith. 
Surely  I  come  quickly ;  Amen.     Even  so  :  come.  Lord  Jesus." 


LECTURE   IV. 


THE     SACRED    SCRIPTURE  —  NECESSITT     OF     ADMITTING     A    SPIRITUAL 

SENSE. 

"A  book  written  within  and  on  the  backside  -  aealed  with  seven  seals."- JZer.  t.  i. 

In  the  last  lecture  I  presented  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church 
concerning   the    Lord's   second    coming,  and   some    of    the  evi- 
dence  that    goes    to    support  it.     And   I   think  it  must  be  ob- 
vious, from  the   testimony  adduced,  that  this  coming,  according 
to  the  Sacred   Oracles  themselves,  is  not  to  be  in  person,  nor 
on  the  natural  clouds,  but  in  the  power  and  great  glory  of  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Divine  Word.     I  think  it  has  been  made  evi- 
dent that  clmds,  when  mentioned  in  the  Scripture,  do  not  signify 
the  watery  particles  in  our  atmosphere,  but  the  apparent  truths  in 
the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  ;  which  truths,  to  the  understandmg 
of  the  natural  man,  obscure   the  light  of  the   spiritual  sense,  as 
natural  clouds  obscure  the  brightness  of  the  sun.     Hence  the  rea- 
son why  it  is  said,  that  -  clouds  are   round  about  Jehovah,"  and 
that  '*  upon  all  the  glory  there  shall  be  a  covering."      And  hence 
the  comino-  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  denotes  a 
more    clelr    and    luminons    exhibition    of    Divine  Truth ;    or  a 
revelation  of  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word  through  the  clouds  of 

the  letter 

But  some,  perhaps,  are  ready  to  ask,  Why  should  there  have 
been  any  cloud  about  the  Holy  Oracles  ?    Why  did  the  Lord  place 
this  covering  upon  the  internal  glory  of  His  Word  ?     Why  was  it 
1 1  noL  composed  in  such  a  manner  that  the  genuine  truth  could  be 

readily  perceived  by  every  one  ? 

And  why,  /would  ask,  was  not  this  natural  world  so  constituted, 
that  a  child  or  an  ignorant  savage,  might  comprehend  its  inteiior 
structure  and  understand  all  its  laws,  at  a  glance  of  the  eye  ? 
Why  do  so  many  things  in  the  universe  around  us  appear  different 
from  what  they  really  are  ?  Why  does  not  a  flash  of  lightning  re- 
veal to  every  beholder  the  nature  and  laws  of  the  electric  fluid? 
Or  those  flickering  pencils  of  hght  that  dance  in  our  northern  sky, 
why  do  they  not  proclaim  the  cause  of  the  aurora  borealis  ?    Why 


82 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


does  the  color  of  trees  and  flowers  appear  to  be  one  of  their  own 
inherent  properties,  when  in  reaUty  all  their  color  belongs  to  the 
sun  ?  Why  do  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  appear  to  rise  and  go 
round  our  earth  once  in  twenty-four  hours,  when  in  reality  they 
do  not  ?  Why  should  the  God  of  nature  delude  His  intelligent 
creatures  with  such  fallacies,  and  so  often  suffer  the  appearance  of 
things  to  contradict  the  reality  ?  Answer  me  these  questions,  and 
I  will  tell  you  why  there  is  a  cloud  or  covering  upon  all  the  glory 
of  God's  Word ;  for  He  who  gave  the  Word,  made  and  governs 
the  world  also  ;  and  the  same  laws  of  order  therefore,  which  ap- 
pertain to  the  one,  belong  also  to  the  other.  Many  things  in  the 
Word  appear  diflPerent  from  what  they  really  are,  just  as  they  do 
in  the  volume  of  nature.  And  this  obvious  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion why  there  exist  such  fallacies  in  nature  —  viz :  that  it  is  ac- 
cording to  divine  order,  because  the  world  could  not  have  been 
constituted  otherwise  than  it  is,  and  be  Goo's  world,  is  the  ri<rht 
answer  to  the  question,  why  the  appearance  of  truth  in  the  letter 
of  the  Word  so  often  differs  from  the  genuine  truth  itself.  The 
Word  of  the  Lord  is  not  less  orderly  in  its  construction  than  His 
works.  And  it  could  not  have  been  written  without  the  clouds,  or 
otherwise  than  according  to  the  eternal  law  of  correspondence  be- 
tween natural  and  spiritual  things,  and  be  a  divine  composition. 
And  the  many  fallacious  appearances  of  truth  in  the  literal  sense 
of  Scripture,  can  with  no  more  propriety  be  urged  as  evidence  of 
imperfection  in  God's  Word,  than  the  fallacious  appearance  of 
many  things  in  nature  can  be  urged  as  evidence  of  imperfection 
in  His  works.  The  truth  is,  that  the  clouds  of  which  we  have  spo- 
ken do  not  really  belong  to  the  Word  itself,  but  to  human  minds  ;  just 
as  natural  clouds,  which  obscure  the  light  of  the  sun,  do  not  be- 
long to  the  sun  itself,  but  to  our  own  planet.  And  in  proportion 
as  the  spirits  of  men  are  purified  from  evil  loves,  and  brought  into 
a  state  of  heavenly  order,  the  clouds  will  disappear  from  the  letter, 
and  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word  be  unveiled. 

Again  :  It  is  asked.  Why  has  not  this  internal  sense  of  the  Word 
been  revealed  before  ?  With  equal  propriety  might  it  be  asked 
Why  was  the  Lord's  first  advent  so  long  delayed  ?  And  the  true 
answer  to  both  questions  is,  that  each  of  these  events  took  place 
when  the  fulness  of  time  had  come.  The  world  was  no  more  pre- 
pared for  this  new  revelation  at  any  period  previous  to  its  announce- 
ment, than  it  was  prepared  for  the  Lord's  first  appearing  at  any 
time  prior  to  that  event.      And   inasmuch  as  men  were  not  pre- 


NECESSITY    OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


83 


t 


#. 

h 


pared  for  this  revelation  before,  it  could  not  have  been  understood 
or  rationally  received,  and  therefore  could  not  have  been  useful. 
Upon  this  subject  Swedenborg  remarks  : 

"  The  reason  why  the  science  of  correspondences,  which  is  the  key 
to  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  was  not  discovered  to  later  ages 
was,  because  the  Christians  of  the  primitive  church  were  men  of  such 
great  simplicity,  that  it  was  impossible  to  discover  it  to  them  ;  for 
had  it  been  discovered,  they  would  have  found  no  use  in  it,  nor  would 
they  have  understood  it." — D,  S.  S.  n.  24. 

That  the  Sacred  Scripture  is  indeed,  '*  the  power  of  God  and 
the  wisdom  of  God,"  we  have  the  fullest  evidence  in  the  civihzinjjr 
and  humanizing  influence  which  it  has  exerted  among  all  nations 
where  it  has  been  generally  received  and  acknowledged.  Wher- 
ever the  written  Word  of  God  has  penetrated,  the '  fountains  of 
knowledge  have  been  opened  to  man.  And  wherever  this  Word 
has  been  most  thoroughly  studied  and  best  understood,  there  the 
human  mind  has  been  most  enlightened  upon  all  subjects  connect- 
ed with  the  welfare  of  man  ;  there  the  principles  of  human  gov- ' 
ernment  have  been  best  understood ;  and  the  arts  and  sciences, 
and  everything  which  distinguishes  civilized  above  savage  life, 
liave  flourished  most.  I  would  beg  the  skeptic,  and  all  who  are 
inclined  to  reject  the  Bible  as  a  revelation  of  God's  will  to  man,  to 
consider  this  fact,  and  weigh  it  well.  I  would  ask  them  to  look  at 
South  Africa,  look  at  America ;  to  look  at  New  Holland,  look  at 
England  ;  —  and  to  account,  rationally  if  they  can,  for  the  amazing 
difference  in  point  of  knowledge  and  mental  culture,  which  exists 
between  these  countries,  without  ascribing  to  the  Sacred  Oracles  a 
more  than  human  power  and  origin  : — without  admitting  that  the 
Word  of  God  is,  indeed,  the  light  of  the  world. 

If,  then,  the  Sacred  Scripture  be  indeed  the  very  wisdom  of 
God,  and  the  only  true  light  to  guide  man  in  the  path  to  heaven, 
certainly  there  is  no  subject  of  human  inquiry  of  such  momentous 
concern  to  all  who  desire  the  life  of  heaven,  as  is  the  question, 
What  does  the  Scripture  really  teach  ?  This  is  the  question  which 
has  divided  the  Christian  Church  into  so  many  conflicting  sects, 
and  which  is  every  year  becoming  more  and  more  embarrassing — 
more  and  more  difficult  for  theologians  themselves  to  answer  with 
confidence,  as  religious  sects  multiply.  Every  one  appeals  to  the 
Scripture  as  authority  for  what  he  believes,  and  each  alike  can 
confirm  his  creed  by  the  appearances  of  truth  in  some  parts  of  the 
Word.     The  most  irrational  dosfmas  that  have  ever  been  main- 


84 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


tained  by  any  sect  in  Christendom,  have  found  some  support  and 
confirmation  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word.  And  it  is  kno^yn 
that  many  of  the  religious  sects  dififer  widely  in  their  opinions,  and 
that  some  hold  views  diametrically  opposed  to  those  entertained  by 
others,  upon  points,  too,  which  are  acknowledged  to  be  fundamen- 
tal. Each  sect  can  boast  its  learned  and  talented  champions,  and 
each  appeals  to  the  Word  of  God  in  support  of  its  own  peculiar 
doctrines. 

Since  things  are  so,  is  it  strange  that  honest,  observing,  and  re- 
flecting men  should  ask  themselves,  as  many  do,  How  is  this  ?  Is 
the  Bible  indeed  the  Word  of  God,  and  does  it  contradict  itself  ? 
Is  there  the  same  conflict  between  the  things  therein  taught,  as  exists 
between  the  diff^erent  religious  sects  which  appeal  to  its  authority 
for  support  ?  Has  this  volume  really  so  many  diff'erent  faces,  and 
an  approving  smile  for  so  many  widely  differing  sects  ?  If  so, 
where  will  be  the  end  of  religious  controversy  ?  When  will  these 
desolating  wars  in  the  church  cease  ?  If  not  so,  then  what  does  the 
Scripture  really  teach,  and  how  may  we  be  sure  of  it  ? 

Many  an  honest  seeker  after  truth  has  often  found  himself 
embarrassed  with  questions  of  this  sort.  And  if,  in  his  perplexed 
state  of  mind,  he  undertake  to  examine  the  Sacred  Volume  for 
himself,  with  the  desire  of  learning  whether  it  be  the  Word  of  God, 
and  what  it  really  teaches,  is  he  then  relieved  from  all  embarrass- 
ment ?  Does  he  not  find  that  some  parts  of  the  Word  appear  to 
contradict  others  ?  That  some  parts  appear  to  contradict  true 
science  ?  That  some  appear  to  countenance  immorality  ?  That 
some  appear  unimportant  and  trivial,  and  wholly  unworthy  the 
Divine  Mind  ?  And  does  he  not  find  many  passages  from  which 
he  can  extract  no  intelligible  meaning  whatever  ?  And  if,  according 
to  the  generally  acknowledged  principles  of  biblical  interpretation, 
the  obviotis  or  apparent  meaning  of  Scripture  be  its  true  and  only 
meanincr,  how  can  he  reconcile  all  the  things  which  he  there  finds, 
with  the  idea  that  the  Bible  is  really  what  it  purports  to  be  —  the 
Word  of  God  ? 

Without  attempting  in  this  lecture  to  explain  the  nature  of  the 
internal  sense  of  the  Word  by  examples,  or  to  offer  any  direct  evi- 
dence of  the  existence  of  such  a  sense,  I  will  endeavor,  in  few 
words,  simply  to  state  what  it  is. 

We  learn  then,  from  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  that,  as  there 
is  a  natural  and  a  spiritual  world  united  by  correspondence,  and  as 
there  is  a  natural  and  a  spiritual  —  a  body  and  a  soul —  appcrtain- 


NECESSITY  OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


85 


t 


ing  to  man,  so  there  exists  in  the  Sacred  Scripture  a  natural  and 
a  spiritual,  or  an  external  and  an  internal  sense.  And  as  the  soul 
and  body  of  man  are  united  in  one  person,  and  perfectly  corres- 
pond to  each  other  —  the  soul  flowing  into  and  filling  every  part 
of  the  body  —  so  the  spiritual  and  literal  senses  of  the  Word  are 
united  and  form  one  by  correspondence,  the  letter  being  filled 
and  pervaded  with  the  spirit.  And  as  the  body  of  man  hath 
no  life  in  itself,  and  dies  when  separated  from  the  spirit,  so 
the  letter  of  the  Word  hath  no  life  in  itself,  and,  separate  from  the 
spiritual  sense,  is  dead.  The  literal  sense  is  natural,  treating  for 
the  most  part  of  objects  and  events  which  belong  to  the  natural 
world,  and  is,  therefore,  adapted  to  the  states  of  natural  men  and 
children  ;  the  spiritual  sense  is  above  the  natural  and  treats  of 
things  which  belong  to  the  spiritual  world,  or  to  the  human  mind, 
and,  consequently,  is  adapted  to  the  state  of  angels  and  spiritual 
men.  The  literal  sense  is  Divine  Truth  in  obscurity,  and  hence  it 
is  as  a  cloud ;  the  spiritual  sense  is  Divine  Truth  in  its  brightness 
and  glory.  The  literal  sense  is  as  the  clothing  of  a  man,  while  the 
spiritual  is  as  the  man  himself.  And  as  those  parts  of  the  body 
which  man  has  occasion  to  use  most  frequently  —  those  in  which 
all  his  senses  are  ultimated,  viz  :  his  face  and  hands  —  are  usually 
left  naked,  so  those  parts  of  the  Word  which  are  most  needed  for 
spiritual  use,  are,  as  it  were,  naked.  The  cloud  of  the  letter  is  so 
thin  in  such  parts  as  scarcely  to  veil  the  internal  sense.  To  quote 
the  language  of  Swedenborg  : 

*'  Divine  truths  in  the  literal  sense  are  rarely  found  naked,  but 
clothed  ;  in  which  state  they  are  called  the  appearances  of  truth, 
and  are  more  accommodated  to  the  apprehension  of  the  simple, 
who  are  not  used  to  any  elevation  of  their  thoughts  above  visible 
objects.  The  Word  in  that  (the  literal)  sense,  is  like  a  man  clothed, 
whose  face  and  hands  are  naked.  All  things  necessary  to  the  life 
of  man,  and  consequently  to  his  salvation,  are  naked  ;  but  the  rest 
are  clothed  ;  and  in  many  places  where  they  are  clothed,  they 
shine  through  the  clothing,  as  the  face  shines  through  a  veil  of  thin 
silk.**     (D.  S.  S.n.  51,  55.) 

This  will  convey  some  idea  of  what  is  to  be  understood  by  the 
spiritual  sense  of  the  Scripture.  But  this  subject  will  be  more  fully 
explained  and  illustrated  in  succeeding  lectures. 

With  the  view  of  showing  the  absolute  necessity  there  is  of 
admitting  the  existence  of  a  spiritual  sense,  I  proceed  now  to  notice 
some  of  the  difficulties  to  be  encountered,  upon  the  supposition  that 


86 


THE   SACRED    SCRTPTimE. 


NECESSITY   or   A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


87 


the  Word  does  not  contain  any  such  sense,  or  that  its  obvious  and 
hteral,  is  its  true  and  only,  meaning.  First,  let  us  see  if  there  be 
not  statements  in  different  parts  of  the  Word,  which,  if  understood 
according  to  the  literal  sense,  manifestly  contradict  each  other. 
We  shall  notice  only  a  few  of  these. 

In  Numbers,  xxiii.  19,  it  is  written,  "  God  is  not  a  man  that  He 
should  lie  ;  neither  the  son  of  man  that  He  should  repent.**  Again 
in  1  Sam.  xv.  29  :  **  For  He  is  not  a  man  that  He  should  repent.'* 
Likewise  in  Ps.  ex.  4,  it  is  said,  **  The  Lord  hath  sworn  and  will 
not  repent ;  **  and  in  Jer.  iv.  28,  **  Because  I  have  spoken,  I  have 
purposed,  and  will  not  repent.^*  But  in  the  same  prophecy  (xviii. 
8,)  it  is  written,  *'  If  that  nation  against  whom  I  have  pronounced, 
turn  from  their  evil,  I  will  repent  of  the  evil  that  I  thought  to  do 
unto  them.**  Also  in  1  Sam.  xv.  35,  **  And  the  Lord  repented  that 
He  had  made  Saul  King  over  Israel.**  Again  in  Jonah  :  **  God 
repented  of  the  evil  that  He  had  said  He  would  do  unto  them  [the 
Ninevites]  ;  and  He  did  it  not.'*     (iii.  10.) 

Now  since  it  is  affirmed  with  equal  distinctness  in  the  letter  of  the 
Word,  that  the  Lord  does  repent  and  does  not  repent,  it  is  manifest 
that  one  of  the  assertions  must  be  false,  if  the  texts  in  which  they 
occur  have  no  other  than  a  hteral  sense,  — because  they  contradict 
each  other. 

Again  :  it  is  written  in  Psalms  that  *'  God  is  angry  [with  the 
wicked]  everyday.**  (vii.  11.)  And  in  Isaiah,  **  Because  they 
have  cast  away  the  law  of  Jehovah  of  hosts,  and  despised  the  Word 
of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  therefore  is  the  anger  of  Jehovah 
kindled  against  his  people."  (v.  24,  25.)  There  are  also  many 
more  passages  wherein  anger  is  predicated  of  the  Lord,  according 
to  the  letter  of  the  text.  Can  these  passages  be  literally  true  ? 
If  so,  how  are  they  to  be  reconciled  with  others  which  forbid  anger, 
and  enjoin  love  to  all,  even  to  our  enemies.  As  in  Psalms :  '*  Cease 
from  anger  and  forsake  wrath,"  (xxxvii.  8  ;)  and  in  MatthcAv : 
**Love  your  enemies,**  (fee.  (v.  44.)  For  if  anger  be  a  heavenly 
emotion,  why  should  men  be  forbidden  to  exercise  it  ?  But  if,  on 
the  other  hand,  it  be  an  emotion  originating  in  evil,  how  can  it  be 
predicated  of  the  Lord,  unless  there  be  some  way  of  understanding 
such  texts,  different  from  what  Christians  have  generally  been  in 
the  habit  of  understanding  them  ? 

It  is  said  again  in  Exodus,  that,  for  a  certain  evil  deed  there 
mentioned,  *'  thou  shalt  give  life  for  hfe,  eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth, 
hand  for  hand,  foot  for  foot,  burning  for  burning,  wound  for  wound. 


<' 


stripe  for  stripe.**  (xxi.  23,  24,  25.)  This  text,  if  it  contain  no 
other  sense  than  that  of  the  letter,  is  manifestly  contradicted  by 
these  words  of  the  Lord  in  Matthew,  which  forbid  the  retaliation 
of  an  injury  ;  **  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said.  An  eye  for 
an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth  :  But  I  say  unto  you  that  ye  resist 
not  evil ;  but  whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to 
him  the  other  also.**     (v.  38,  39.) 

Again  :  in  Matthew  where  the  purchase  of  the  potter*s  field  with 
the  money  that  Judas  received  as  the  reward  of  his  treachery,  is 
spoken  of,  we  find  it  thus  written  :  "  Then  was  fulfilled  that  which 
was  spoken  by  Jeremy  the  prophet,  saying.  And  they  took  the 
thirty  pieces  of  silver,  the  price  of  him  that  was  valued,  whom  they 
of  the  children  of  Israel  did  value,  and  gave  them  for  the  potter's 
field,  as  the  Lord  appointed  me.**  (xxvii.  9,  10.)  Now,  although 
this  text  is  not  contradicted  by  any  other,  we  find  nothing  like 
it  in  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  where  it  is  said  to  occur.  The  only 
passage  in  the  Old  Testament  which  bears  any  resemblance  to  it,  is 
found  in  Zechariah  xi.  12,  13 :  a  fact  which  it  is  not  easy  to  explain 
(if  there  be  no  internal  sense  to  the  Word,)  without  admitting 
(what  indeed  some  commentators  have  not  hesitated  to  do,)  that 
the  inspired  penman  icas  here  mistaken !  But  when  the  internal 
Sense  of  the  Word  as  now  revealed  is  seen  and  acknowledged,  the 
difficulty  which  here  presents  itself  finds  an  easy  solution,  without 
any  such  dangerous  admission  or  presumptuous  conclusion  as  this. 
For,  according  to  Swedenborg,  all  proper  names  used  in  Scripture 
have  an  internal  sense,  and  denote  some  peculiar  mental  quality  or 
state  of  life  ;  and  the  text  above  cited  is  one  of  that  character  or 
quality  which  is  denoted  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah.  Hence  it  is 
said  to  have  been  spoken  by  him,  although  literally  it  was  not. 

In  another  passage  of  the  same  Evangelist,  which  describes  the 
cruel  and  insulting  treatment  of  the  Lord  at  the  hour  of  his  cruci- 
fixion, it  is  written, ''  And  the  thieves  (ot  xj^^jrat  —  plural)  also  which 
were  crucified  with  Him,  cast  the  same  in  his  teeth."  But  Luke 
says,  that  only  one  of  them  was  guilty  of  this  brutahty,  and  that  he 
was  rebuked  for  it  by  the  other,  who,  instead  of  mocking,  "  said 
unto  Jesus,  Lord  remember  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy  kingdom." 

Such  are  the  discrepances  and  contradictory  statements  which 
occur  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word.  Others  of  a  similar  charac- 
ter might  be  adduced,  were  it  necessary.  But  it  is  sufficient  here 
to  remark,  that,  in  the  internal  sense,  these  statements  are  seen  to 
be  neither  discrepant  nor  contradictory,  but  in  perfect  agreement. 


88 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


There  are  other  passages  of  Scripture,  which  if  taken  in  their 
strictly  literal  sense,  manifestly  contradict  the  teachings  of  true 
science.  Take,  for  example,  the  chapter  with  which  the  Bible 
commences,  and  which  contains  what  is  commonly  called  the  Mosaic 
account  of  the  creation  of  the  world.  It  is  abundantly  proved  by 
facts,  which  geological  research  has  brought  to  light  within  the  last 
few  years,  that  this  account  of  the  creation  in  Genesis  cannot  be 
hterally  true.  So  convincing  indeed  is  the  evidence  furnished  by 
Geology,  that  the  best  biblical  scholars  of  all  denominations  no 
longer'' think  of  adhering  to  the  hteral  sense  of  the  word  day  in  this 
chapter,  but  understand  it  to  signify  an  indefinite  period  of  time. 
In  this  way  they  endeavor  to  harmonize  the  chapter  with  geological 
facts.  And  although  this  signification  of  day,  is  merely  naturaU 
since  it  conveys  an  idea  of  timey  which  belongs  to  the  natural  world, 
still  it  is  a  departure  from  the  strict  sense  of  the  letter,  and  may 
therefore  be  regarded  as  an  approximation  towards  the  truth  —  an 
approximation  which  theologians  have  been  compelled  to  make,  by 
the  indubitable  testimony  of  modern  science. 

But,  independent  of  geological  facts,  there  are  reasons  for  believ- 
ing that  this  account  of  the  creation  in  Genesis  cannot  be  literally 
true.  For  whoever  reads  the  account  attentively,  will  see  that  light 
is  said  to  have  been  created  on  the  first  day,  and  divided  from  the 
darkness  ;  whereas  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars  were  not  made  until 
the  fourth  day.  Now  it  certainly  is  not  in  accordance  with  the 
laws  of  divine  order,  nor  can  we  conceive  it  possible,  that  light 
should  first  be  created  and  exist,  without  any  luminous  body  from 
which  it  emanated  ;  and  the  difficulty  of  so  conceiving  becomes 
still  greater,  when  we  find  it  said,  there  was  such  a  division  between 
the  light  and  darkness  on  the  first  day  of  creation,  as  to  form  day 
and  night.  Moreover,  it  is  said  {v.  14,  16,  17,  18.)  that  the  lights, 
viz.,  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  which  were  produced  on  the  fourth 
day  of  creation,  were  placed  in  the  firmament,  among  other  pur- 
poses, to  divide  the  day  from  the  night. 

Again  :  It  is  related  that  the  vegetable  kingdom  was  created  on 
the  third  day,  which  was  before  the  formation  of  the  sun,  whose 
influence  we  know  is  now  essential  to  the  creation  and  growth  of  veg- 
etables. And  if,  according  to  the  opinion  of  those  who  endeavor 
to  reconcile  geological  facts  with  this  account  of  the  creation,  day 
be  understood  to  signify  an  indefinite  period  of  time  — perhaps  of 
many  thousand  years  duration  —  then  it  is  necessary  to  admit  that 
ihe  earth  was  clothed  with  vegetable  life  during  all  this  long  period. 


NECESSITY   OF    A    SPIRTTITAL   SENSE. 


89 


before  the  sun,  moon,  or  stars  were  created.  And  then  the 
hteral  sicmification  of  morning  and  evening  must  also  be  de- 
parted from ;  for  if  day  be  not  understood  to  signify  a  period 
of  twenty-four  hours,  it  is  m.anifest  that  morning  and  evening  can- 
not be  understood  according  to  their  common  acceptation.  And 
what  idea  is  then  to  be  attached  to  the  ni^jht,  which,  on  account 
of  darkness,  was  divided  from  the  day  ? 

We  see,  therefore,  that  if  this  chapter  be  understood  as  con- 
tainino-  an  account  of  the  creation  of  the  natural  world,  there  are 
difficulties  attending  it  of   an  internal  kind,  which  are  absolutely 

insurmountable.  . 

Then  there  is  the  account  of  the  deluge,  which,  taken  m  its  lit- 
eral sense,  is  manifestly  irreconcilable  with  true  science.     For,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  improbabihty  that  God  would  literally  destroy 
by  drowning,  not  only  the  whole  human  race,  but  every  beast,  and 
fowl,  and  creeping  thing,  and  living  substance  upon  earth,  on  ac- 
count of  the  wickedness  of  men  —  to  pass  by  this,  we  may  safely 
affirm,  that,  according  to  what  modern  science  has  made  known  to 
us  of  the  laws  of  storms,  it  could  not  possibly  have  rained  upon 
all  the  face  of  the  earth  for  the  length  of  time  there  mentioned  — 
forty  days  and  forty  nights.      And  even  admitting  the  possibihty 
of  this,  there  could  not  have  fallen  so  much  rain  as  is  stated  in  the 
hteral  sense  of  the  history ;    for  to  have  covered  all  the  high  hills 
under  the  whole  heavens,  and  likewise  the  mountains,  as  it  is  said 
(Gen.  vii.  19,  20),  the  rain,  as  is  found  upon  calculation,  must  have 
fallen  at  the  prodigious  rate  of  about  thirty  feet  of  water  per  hour  1 
And   this,  continually,  for   the    space   of     forty   days  and  forty 

nights  !  /.   1  •    T.-  X 

We  find  other  difficulties  also  m  the  literal  sense  of  this  history, 

growino-  out  of  the  dimensions  of  the  ark  necessary  to  contain  so 
many  c^'reatures  ;  and  the  impossibility,  according  to  the  known 
laws  of  mechanical  forces,  of  constructing  this  immense  vessel  m 
such  a  manner,  that  it  would  not  fall  to  pieces  of  its  own  weight 
on  the  slightest  agitation  or  movement  of  the  waters.  But  these 
thincrs  we  pass  by  ;  and  also  other  tilings  stated  in  the  Word,  which, 
if  understood  according  to  their  obvious  and  literal  sense,  are  man- 
ifestly  contrary  to  true  science. 

We  turn  now  to  another  class  of  texts,  which  appear  to  be  of  an 
immoral  character,  and  which  would  certainly  not  have  been  m  a 
book  emanating  from  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Love,  if  they  mean  pre- 
cisely what  they  appear  to  affirm,  and  what  they  do  affinn  accord- 
8  • 


90 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


NECESSITY    OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


9J 


ing  to  the  sense  of  the  letter  —  and  nothing  more  ;  i,  e,y  if  there 
be  no  internal  sense. 

In  Judges  iii.  15,  it  is  recorded  that  the  Lord  raised  up  Ehud, 
the  son  of  Gera,  to  deliver  the  children  of  Israel  from  Eglon  the 
king  of  Moab.  And  in  verse  21  we  are  informed  that  this  Ehud 
sheathed  a  dagger  in  the  bowels  of  the  Moabitish  king,  at  the  very 
moment  when  pretending  to  offer  him  a  gift.  And  this  brutal  and 
treacherous  deed,  as  appears  from  the  literal  sense  of  the  history, 
was  committed  with  the  divine  sanction. 

An  act  of  a  similar  character  is  recorded  in  the  next  chapter, 
where  it  is  related  that  Sisera,  the  general  of  the  army  of  Jabin, 
king  of  Hazor,  being  defeated  by  Barak,  "fled  away  on  his  feet  to 
the  tent  of  Jael,  the  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite ;  for  there  was  peace 
between  Jabin  the  king  of  Hazor  and  the  house  of  Heber  the  Ke- 
nite. And  Jael  (who  was  the  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite)  went  out 
to  meet  Sisera,  and  said  unto  him.  Turn  in,  my  lord,  turn  in  to  me  ; 
fear  not."  Accordingly  Sisera  accepted  her  proff'ered  protection 
and  hospitality ;  and  when,  through  much  weariness,  he  had  fallen 
asleep  in  her  tent,  we  are  told,  "  Then  Jael,  Heber's  wife,  took  a 
nail  of  the  tent,  and  took  a  hammer  in  her  hand,  and  went  softly 
unto  him,  and  smote  the  nail  into  his  temples,  and  fastened  it  into 
the  ground  (for  he  was  fast  asleep  and  weary)  :  so  he  died."  (iv. 
21.)  And  was  any  condemnatory  sentence  pronounced  upon  Jael  for 
this  barbarous  and  most  treacherous  deed  ?  So  far  from  it,  we 
read  in  the  next  chapter  (v.  24),  "  Blessed  above  women  shalljael 
the  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite  be  :  blessed  shall  she  be  above  women 
in  the  tent."  Thus,  according  to  the  letter  of  the  text,  this  infam- 
ous deed  receives  the  divine  approbation. 

Again  :  Where  the  entrance  of  the  children  of  Israel  into  the 
promised  land  is  spoken  of,  it  appears  that  they  were  commanded 
by  Jehovah,  not  only  to  make  no  covenant  with  the  Canaanites, 
but  to  **  smite  them,  and  utterly  destroy  them,  and  show  no  mercy 
unto  them."  (Deut.  vii.  2.) 

We  are  told  also  (1  Sam.  xiii.  14)  that  David  was  '*  aman  after 
God's  own  heart;"  yet  we  learn  from  another  passage  (2  Sam. 
xi.  2,  5),  that  he  was  guilty  of  both  adultery  and  murder. 

Likewise  concerning  Jacob,  we  find  it  written  (Gen.  chap,  xxviii), 
that  the  Lord  would  be  with  him,  and  would  keep  him  in  all  places 
whither  he  should  go :  and  that  in  him  and  in  his  seed,  all  the  fami- 
lies of  the  earth  should  be  blessed.  Yet  we  learn  from  the  history 
of  this  patriarch  that  he  had  two  wives  and  two  concubines.     And 


♦ 


from  his  example,  taken  in  connection  with  that  of  most  of  the 
Jewish  worthies  and  kings,  Dr.  Madan,  a  clergyman  of  the  Church 
of  England,  has  endeavored  to  prove  that  polygamy  and  concu- 
binage are  allowable  to  Christians,  and  has  published  a  book  on 
the  subject. 

Now  is  it  strange,  while  Christians  adhere  to  the  literal  sense, 
and  are  unwilling  to  admit  the  existence  of  any  other  sense  in  the 
Sacred  Scripture,  that  they  should  be  charged  with  blasphemy,  as 
they  have  been  by  the  infidel,  for  receiving  the  record  of  these  and 
other  similar  transactions  as  the  Word  of  God  ? 

Again :  there  are  many  things  in  the  Word,  which,  understood 
according  to  the  mere  sense  of  the  letter,  appear  trivial,  unimport- 
ant, and  wholly  unworthy  the  Divine  Mind.  For  example,  we 
read  in  Deuteronomy  ''  If  a  bird's  nest  chance  to  be  before  thee  in 
the  way  in  any  tree,  or  on  the  ground,  [whether  they  be]  young 
ones  or  eggs,  and  the  dam  sitting  upon  the  young  or  upon  the 
eggs,  thou  Shalt  not  take  the  dam  with  the  young  :  thou  shalt  in 
any  wise  let  the  dam  go,  and  take  the  young  to  thee ;  that  it  may 
be  well  with  thee,  and  that  thou  mayest  prolong  thy  days."  Again  : 
**  Thou  shalt  not  wear  a  garment  of  divers  sorts  —  of  woolen  and 
linen  together.  Thou  shalt  not  make  thee  fringes  upon  the  four 
quarters  of  thy  vesture  wherewith  thou  coverest  thyself."  (xxii 
6,7,11,12.) 

Then  the  whole  book  of  Leviticus,  and  much  of  Exodus,  Num- 
bers, and  Deuteronomy,  are  filled  with  directions  for  the  performance 
of  ceremonies,  which,  in  themselves  considered,  seem  very  unim- 
portant. Sometimes  whole  chapters  contain  noticing  but  precepts 
concerning  what  kind  of  food  the  servants  should  eat,  and  what 
kind  of  clothing  they  should  wear,  as  in  Leviticus  xi. ;  Exodus 
xxviii. 

See,  moreover,  what  exact  instructions  are  given  concernino"  the 
tabernacle  (Ex.  chap.  xxv.  to  xxxi.) — its  shape,  dimensions,  and 
manner  of  construction,  and  the  form  and  size  of  its  vessels.  How 
minute  and  particular  also  are  the  directions  in  regard  to  sacrifices  ; 
prescribing  not  only  the  kind  of  animal  or  thing  to  be  oflfered  for 
certain  offences,  but  also  the  manner  of  slaying  and  preparing  it. 
Likewise  in  the  Prophets  we  find  things  which  appear  exceedino-ly 
trivial  and  unmeaning.  In  Ezekiel  for  example,  the  Lord  commands 
the  prophet  to  shave  his  head  and  beard  with  a  sharp  knife  or 
barber's  razor,  to  weigh  the  hair  in  balances  and  divide  it :  then  to 
burn  a  third  part  with  fire  in  the  midst  of  the  city,  when  the  days 


92 


THE    SACRED    SCRrPTURE. 


of  the  siege  were  fulfilled  ;  to  take  a  third  part  and  smite  about  it 
with  a  knife,  and  to  scatter  a  third  part  in  the  wind.  And  after- 
ward it  is  added,  **Thou  shalt  also  take  thereof  a  few  in  number 
and  bind  them  in  thy  skirts  :  **  t.  e.  a  few  of  the  hairs,  after  three 
thirds  have  already  been  disposed  of!  —  for  this  is  what  is  said  in 
the  literal  sense. 

I  might  easily  multiply  examples  of  this  kind  ;  but  it  is  unne- 
cessary.    They  are  doubtless  familiar  to  the  minds  of  all. 

Now  it  is  chiefly  upon  the  occurrence  of  passages  like  these,  that 
the  infidel  grounds  his  objections  to  the  Sacred  Scripture  as  the 
Word  of  God.  And  notwithstanding  the  number  of  learned  and 
able  defenders  which  the  Bible  has  found,  I  am  free  to  confess  that 
all  the  objections  which  have  been,  or  may  be,  raised  against  it,  as 
a  divinely  inspired  composition,  have  not  been,  and  in  my  opinion 
cannot  be,  fairly  answered,  without  admitting  the  existence  of  an 
internal  sense  —  a  sense  within  and  above  that  of  the  mere  letter. 
It  is,  indeed,  true,  that  none  can  doubt  the  divine  character  and 
origin  of  the  Word,  who  have  ever  experienced  its  regeneratincr  influ- 
ence upon  their  hearts  ;  yet  many  pious  men,  and  even  ministers 
of  the  gospel,  have  perceived  and  felt  the  difiiculty  arising  from  the 
occurrence  in  the  Scripture  of  passages  like  those  we  have  just 
noticed.  And  how  have  modern  commentators  sought  to  escape 
this  difficulty  ?  Not  by  admitting  that  they  did  not  understand 
these  passages,  as  short-sighted  and  erring  men  should,  and  as  men 
of  true  humility  would,  nor  by  elevating  their  thoughts  above  the 
letter  to  the  spirit  of  the  Word  —  looking  within  the  veil  for  purer 
truth  than  that  which  appears  on  the  surface  —  but  by  reducing 
their  idea  of  inspiration  to  the  lowest  possible  standard.  Instead 
of  trying  to  elevate  their  minds  to  the  Lord,  they  have  sought  to 
reduce  Him  and  his  Truth  to  the  measure  of  their  natural  under- 
standing. Thus  they  degrade  the  Word  of  God  to  the  level  of  a 
mere  human  composition,  by  seeking  a  principle  of  interpretation 
which  shall  make  its  teachings  square  with  their  own  gross  and  carnal 
conceptions.  In  the  very  arguments  which  have  been  ofl^'ered  in 
proof  and  in  defense  of  the  inspiration  of  the  Sacred  Oracles,  the 
authors  have  admitted  their  inspiration  to  be  of  such  a  kind,  that 
the  sacred  penmen  might  sometimes  affirm  what  is  positively  false, 
or  what  is  contrary  to  true  science  and  sound  morality ! 

Such  is  the  unwise  and  unsafe  position  which  Christian  advocates 
have  assumed  in  these  latter  times,  in  order  to  maintain  the  general 
credibility  of  the  Sacred  Scripture. 


NECESSITr   OF   A   SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


Q^ 

•7*^ 


Suppose  a  beautiful  and  fertile  country  to  be  surrounded  by  a 
mud  wall,  which  protects  it  on  all  sides  against  the  encroachments 
of  the  sea.  Would  it  be  wise  when  the  sea  is  seen  risino-,  to  din- 
a  trench  through  that  wall,  lest  it  should  be  swept  away  by  the 
swelling  tide  ?  The  wall,  indeed,  might  be  preserved  in  this  way; 
but  to  little  purpose,  for  the  country  would  be  desolated.  Such  a 
trench  have  they  dug  (unconsciously  no  doubt)  through  the  walls 
around  the  Word  and  the  Church,  who  have  reduced  the  standard 
of  divine  inspiration  so  low,  as  amounts  to  a  virtual  denial  of  any 
inspiration  whatever.  And  through  that  trench,  even  now,  are  the 
floods  of  infidelity  rolling  with  fearful  and  desolating  surge. 

Am  I  speaking  extravagantly  or  unadvisedly  in  what  I  say  of 
the  low  standard  to  which  the  advocates  of  Christianity  have 
reduced  the  inspiration  of  the  Word  ?  Hear,  then,  some  of  these 
advocates  themselves  on  the  subject. 

One  of  the  most  eminent  theologians  in  this  city  [New  York], 
in  a  tract  published  not  long  ago  (the  express  design  of  which  was 
to  silence  or  convince  unbelievers,  and  defend  the  Sacred  Scripture 
from  all  cavil),  expresses  himself  thus  :  *  *'  It  is  from  rash  posi- 
tions on  this  subject  that  the  advocates  of  a  revelation  expose 
themselves  to  the  strongest  attacks  of  infidelity.  The  Scriptures 
are  not  the  actual  communication  made  to  the  minds  inspired  from 
above.  •  •  •  •  They  are  not  the  actual  Word  of  God,  but  they  are 
a*  record  of  the  Word  of  God.' ''  And  this  writer  further  adds  : 
*'  If  there  ever  were  productions  which  showed  the  free  and  fer- 
vent workings  of  human  thought  and  feeling ^  they  are  our  Sacred 
Records.  •  •  •  •  But  the  things  [in  them]  which  we  have  to  deal 
with  are  words  ;  they  are  not  divine  symbols  of  thought."  And 
again :  "If  we  open  almost  any  book,  especially  any  book  written 
in  a  fervent  and  popular  style,  we  can  perceive  on  accurate  analy- 
sis, that  some  things  were  hastily  written,  some  things  negligently, 
some  things  not  in  the  exact  logical  order  of  thought ;  that  some 
things  are  beautiful  in  style,  and  others  inelegant ;  that  some 
things  are  clear,  and  Mhers  obscure  or  '  hard  to  be  understood.' 
And  do  we  not  find  all  these  things  in  the  Scriptures  ?  " 

And  this  is  the  way  which  this  writer  would  propose  (a  very 
easy  way,  indeed),  of  getting  over  the  difficulty  presented  by  such 
texts  as  those  already  cited.     He  would  have  us  consider  that  the 


*  Tract  by  Rev.  Orville  Dewey,  D.  D.,  entitled,  «  Belief  and  Un- 
belief." 


I 


94 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


NECESSITY    OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


95 


men  who  wrote  the  Word  of  God,  like  the  writers  of  any  other 
books,  sometimes  wrote  in  haste,  and  sometimes  with  negligence  ; 
and  hence,  like  any  other  writers,  they  were  liable  sometimes  to 
make  mistakes,  sometimes  to  contradict  themselves  and  the  truths 
of  science,  and  sometimes  to  write  in  an  obscure  and  unintelligible 
manner.  Consequently  he  would  have  us  refer  all  the  apparent 
contradictions  and  discrepancies  in  the  Word  —  everything  in  fine 
which  does  not  appear  to  us  consistent  with  Divine  Wisdom  —  not 
to  any  defect  of  understanding  in  ourselves,  but  to  haste  and  Tie^li- 
gence,  or  a  partial  and  deficient  inspiration,  in  the  writers. 

Now  I  ask  how  much  lower  kind  of  inspiration  can  possibly  be 
conceived  of  than  this  ?  I  ask  if  the  idea  concerning  the  Sacred 
Scripture  which  this  language  clearly  conveys,  be  not  such  as  does 
virtually  deny  to  them  any  inspiration  whatever?  — or,  at  least,  any 
above  that  which  belongs  to  every  human  composition  ?  He  would 
have  his  readers  infer  that  there  is  no  meaning  in  the  Word  within 
or  above  its  obvious  and  hteral  sense  —  that  passages  which  appear 
to  be  contradictory,  are  really  so,  and  that  apparent  mistakes  are 
real  mistakes  of  the  inspired  penmen.  What,  then,  I  would  ask, 
becomes  of  their  inspiration  ?  And  with  what  propriety  can  their 
writings  be  called  inspired,  or  God-breathed  ? 

Nor  is  this  writer  alone  in  his  low  views  of  the  inspiration  of  the 
Scripture.  By  no  means.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Palfrey,  late  Professor 
of  Biblical  Literature  in  the  University  of  Cambridge  (Massachu- 
setts), in  his  "Academical  Lectures  on  the  Jewish  Scriptures,"  de- 
nies most  emphatically  everything  like  inspiration  to  the  Penta- 
teuch ;  for  he  makes  Moses  and  not  God,  the  author  of  these  books  : 

"I  apprehend,"  says  he,  "that  when  a  law  is  announced,  prefaced 
by  such  words  as  '  the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,'  it  is  by  no  means 
necessary  to  understand  the  arrangement  to  have  originated  (so  to 
speak)  in  the  Divine  Mind,  and  then  dictated  to  the  Jewish  leader, 
to  be  by  him  promulgated.  In  my  view,  the  force  of  the  language 
is  equally  well  met,  if  we  understand,  when  other  considerations 
would  incline  us  so  to  do,  that  the  plan  was  a  plan  of  Moses,  who,  by 
being  encouraged  to  act  on  this  kind  of  responsibility,  would  be  in 
all  respects  better  qualified  for  his  office  as  leader  of  the  people  ; 
that  having  been  devised  by  him,  it  was  submitted  for  the  divine  ap- 
proval;  (  ! !)  and  that  (this  approval  obtained)  it  was  announced,  in 
such  words  as  I  have  quoted,  as  resting  on  the  divine  authority." 
—  (Lect.  vii.,  p.  145-6.) 

Again  this  writer  says : 

"  The   principle   of  interpretation,  thus  ascertained,  is  of  obvious 


importance.  When  we  read,  *  The  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Establish 
and  promulgate  such  or  such  a  law,'  if  that  law  appears  to  us  trivial, 
or  not  thoroughly  well  devised  to  meet  its  end ;  if  we  find  even 
that  it  actually  requires  afterwards,  on  experiment,  to  be  qualified, 
or  extended,  or  repealed,  we  are  not  debarred  from  supposing  that 
it  had  its  origin  in  the  imperfect  wisdom  of  Moses,  and  that  he  was 
but  permitted  to  adopt  it  in  order  that  he  might  perceive  its  im- 
perfections, and  learn  the  pohtical  wisdom  which  his  station  de- 
manded, in  seeing  what  defects  it  had  failed  to  supply,  and  how  a 
better  measure  was  to  be  devised." — (^Ibid,  p.  147-8.) 

Thus,  in  the  opinion  of  this  learned  critic,  the  first  five  books  of 
the  Old  Testament,  because  they  contain  some  things  which  appear 
to  us  trivial,  are  to  be  regarded  as  a  mere  human  production  ;  — as 
havino-  no  higher  kind  of  inspiration  than  that  which  belongs  to 
profane  history,  or  to  any  human  composition  ;  for  "  they  had  their 
oriyin  in  the  imperfect  wisdom  of  Moses.' ' 

Similar  views  with  regard  to  the  New  Testament  also,  have 
been  expressed  by  recent  theological  writers.  In  a  work  published 
at  Philadelphia  in  1838  by  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Furness,  entitled  "  Jesus 
and  His  Biographers,  or  Remarks  on  the  four  Gospels,"  the  writer 
plainly  denies  the  divine  inspiration  of  the  Gospels,  and  declares 
them  to  be  merely  the  productions  of  men  ;  of  honest  men  indeed, 
yet  liable  to  the  prejudices,  imperfections,  and  mistakes  of  men  in 
general.  Speaking  of  the  account  given  in  the  Evangelists  of  the 
miraculous  conception  of  our  Lord,  this  writer  says  : 

"  Now  there  is  an  improbability  of  the  truth  of  this  account,  ari^ 
ino"  from  its  very  unusual  and  extraordinary  character,  which,  how- 
ever, is  not  decisive.  We  cannot  conclude  upon  this  ground  alone 
that  the  account  is  false."  (p.  105.)  And  on  the  next  page  : 
"  There  is  an  improbability  in  this  account,  resulting  from  another 
and  more  specific  cause.  It  arises  from  the  common  disposition  of 
the  world  to  magnify  the  circumstances  of  the  birth  and  childhood 
of  distinguished  men  ;  to  believe,  that,  upon  their  first  coming  on  the 
stage  of  life,  supernatural  appearances  were  visible,  unearthly  agents 

busy, — that, 

* At  their  nativity 

The  front  of  heaven  was  fall  of  fiery  shapes. 

Of  burning  cressets  ;  and  at  their  birth, 

The  frame  and  huge  foundation  of  the  earth 

Shak'd  like  a  coward.' 

"Alexander  would  have  had  it  believed  that  he  was  the  son  of 
Jupiter  ;  and  Pythagoras  was  reported  to  be  the  child  of  Apollo." 
(p.   106-7.) 


96 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


NECESSITY    OF    A   SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


97 


Here,  everything  like  inspiration  is  denied.  This  writer  sup- 
poses the  EvangeHsts  to  have  taken  up  a  vulgar  report,  which  tliey 
beUeved  to  be  true,  but  which  was  not,  and  to  have  recorded  it  for 
hteral  fact.  And  he  endeavors  to  explain  their  account  of  the 
Lord's  nativity,  by  referring  it  to  "the  common  disposition  of  the 
world  to  magnify  the  circumstances  of  the  birth  and  childliood  of 
distinguished  men  !  '*  And  so  he  leaves  his  readers  to  infer,  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  not  the  Son  of  God,  any  more  than  Alexander 
was  the  son  of  Jupiter,  or  Pythagoras  the  child  of  Apollo  ! 

But  in  another  part  of  the  same  work,  the  human  origin  and 
consequent  imperfection  of  the  Gospels,  is  asserted  still  more  openly. 
The  writer  says : 

"  Receiving  the  sketches  that  have  come  down  to  us,  of  the  life 
of  Jesus  as  simple  human  histories,  the  productions  of  honest  and 
intelligent  men,  while  we  acknowledge  their  substantial  truth,  we 
cannot  possibly  avoid  admitting  the  hability  of  their  authors  to  error. 
To  hold  the  Gospels  to  be  human  compositions,  and  to  maintain 
their  absolute  freedom  from  mistake,  are  ideas  wholly  irreconcilable. 
For  it  is  of  the  nature  of  everything  human  to  be  marked  with  imper- 
fection. But  because  these  writings,  being  human,  are  necessarily 
imperfect,  to  assert  that  they  lose  all  claim  to  trustworthiness,  is  a  very 
precipitate  and  dangerous  conclusion.  A  perfect  human  work  is,  in 
strict  terms,  not  an  impossibility  but  an  absurdity.  We  might  as  well 
speak  of  a  perfect  imperfect  work.  The  pretension,  therefore,  of  any 
book  to  absolute  perfection,  might  justly  provoke  skepticism,  and  -cast 
ominous  conjecture  on  its  whole  success.'  On  the  other  hand,  the 
very  imperfections  of  any  human  work,  taking  their  form  from  the 
time  and  place  of  the  writer,  from  his  character  and  the  nature  of  the 
subject  of  which  he  treats,  aid  us  in  determining  the  extent  of  hie 
credibility.  The  strongest  argument  for  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  nar- 
ratives is  found,  as  I  have  endeavored  in  the  foregoing  pages  to  show, 
in  the  marks  of  human  nature,  in  the  traces,  everywhere  visible 
throughout  these  remarkable  histories,  of  human  minds,  honest  and 
intelligent,  and  yet  impressed  by  the  institutions,  partaking  of  the 
opinions  and  prejudices  of  a  certain  period  and  country,  and  affected, 
in  various  ways,  more  or  less  powerfully,  by  the  very  facts  they  narrate. 
We  are  not  then  to  be  dismayed  at  the  slightest  appearance  of  mis- 
statement in  works  which  we  acknowledge  to  be  productions  of  men. 
The  thing  is  inevitable."  (p.  96,  97.) 

Such  are  the  views  of  inspiration  which  are  entertamed  in  our 
times  by  some  of  the  professed  expounders  of  the  Sacred  Oracles. 
And  are  they  not  such  as   imply,  in  the  minds  of  those  who  hold 


*; 


them,  a  complete  denial  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Scripture  ? 
And  if  it  be  said  that  these  are  the  views  of  only  a  few  bold  and 
rash  expositors,  our  reply  is,  that,  however  this  may  be,  we  think 
a  penetrating  mind  can  hardly  fail  to  discover  their  germ  wrapped 
up  in  the  commonly  received  maxims,  that  "the  Bible  has  but 0/2^ 
sense,  and  that  the  plain,  obvious,  hteral  sense  ; "  and  that  the 
book  ''  is  fully  interpreted,  when  the  exact  mind  of  each  writer  is 
unfolded."  (See  Prof.  Stuart's  "Hints  on  the  Interpretation  of 
Prophecy.'')  And  the  following  from  the  Rev.  Theodore  Parker's 
**  Discourse  of  Religion,"  we  regard  as  only  the  complete  unfold- 
ing of  this  very  germ :  **  This  general  thesis  may  be  laid  down 
and  maintained  :  £Jven/  book  of  the  Old  Testament  bears  distinct 
marks  of  Us  human  origin  ;  some  of  human  folly  and  sin  ;  all  of 
human  weakness  and  imperfection^  And  again:  '*  If  we  look  into 
the  Bible  in  a  general  way,  as  into  other  books,  we  find  facts  which 
force  the  conclusion  upon  us,  that  the  Bible  is  a  human  work,  as 
much  as  the  Principia  of  Newton  or  Descartes." 

The  writer  is  forced  to  this  conclusion,  because,  adopting  the 
commonly  received  maxim  of  one  sense,  and  that  the  obvious,  literal 
sense,  he  finds  in  the  Bible,  as  he  says,  *'  conflicting  histories  which 
no  skill  can  reconcile  with  themselves  nor  with  facts  :  Prophecies 
that  have  never  been  fulfilled,  and  from  the  nature  of  thino-s  never 
can  be  :  Stories  that  make  God  a  man  of  war,  cruel,  capricious, 
revengeful,  hateful,  and  not  to  be  trusted  :  Amatory  songs,  selfish 
proverbs,  skeptical  discourses,  and  the  most  awful  imprecations 
human  fancy  ever  clothed  in  speech."  (p.  324,  '5,  '8.)  This  is 
the  full  flowering  of  that  germ,  which  may  be  seen  in  greater  or 
less  development  on  every  branch  of  the  old  theological  tree. 

Let  us  now  turn  from  the  low,  and  as  I  conceive,  utterly  false 
views  of  the  written  Word,  and  endeavor  if  possible  to  ascertain 
from  the  Scripture  itself  what  kind  of  inspiration  really  belongs  to 
it.     On  this  point,  we  will  let  the  Word  bear  witness  for  itself. 

In  the  first  place,  then,  I  remark,  that  the  Scripture  claims  to  be 
The  Word  of  God.  In  the  books  of  Moses  it  is  repeatedly  said, 
that  "the  Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,"  &c. ;  and  likewise, 
that  "Moses  wrote  all  the  words  of  the  Lord."  Also  in  the 
prophets  we  find  this  expression  very  often  made  use  of,  "The 
Word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me,  saying." 

Moreover,  the  Lord  himself,  when  on  earth,  frequently  called 

the  Scripture   7^16  Word  of  God.     For  example,  after  quoting  a 

passage  from  the  law  of  Moses,  concerning  the  dutv  of  honoring 
9 


98 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


NECESSITY    OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


99 


father  and  motlier,  He  then  tells  the  Jews,  that,  because  they  dis- 
regarded this  precept,  they  made  The  Word  of  God  of  none  effect 
through  their  tradition.  (Mark  vii.  13.)  Again,  on  another  occa- 
sion, when  the  Jews  were  ready  to  stone  Him  because  He  said,  "  1 
and  the  Father  are  one,'*  the  Lord  replied,  "  Is  it  not  Avritten  in 
your  law,  I  said  ye  are  gods?  If  he  called  them  gods  to  whom 
the  Word  of  God  came  (and  the  Scripture  cannot  be  broken),  say 
ye  of  Him  whom  the  Father  hath  sanctified  and  sent  into  the 
world.  Thou  blasphemest ;  because  I  said,  I  am  the  Son  of  God  ? '' 
(John  X.  34.  35,  36.)  Now,  the  words  which  are  here  said  to  be 
written  in  the  iaiv,  are  found  in  Psalms  Ixxxii.  6  ;  which  proves 
that  the  book  of  Psalms  is  included  in  what  the  Lord  calls  **  the 
law."  And  the  Greek  word  ^vO/jvaL  (luthenai),  which  is  here 
translated  broken,  signifies  to  loosen^  dissolve,  or  weaken  any  bond 
or  obligation.  Hence  by  these  words,  "and  the  Scripture  cannot 
be  broken,"  is  meant  that  its  authority  is  not  to  be  called  in  ques- 
tion, or  the  obligation  to  obey  its  precepts  is  not  to  be  denied. 

Here,  then,  it  is  affirmed  by  the  very  highest  authority,  not  only 
that  the  Scripture  is  the  Word  of  God,  but  that  its  authority  is  not 
to  be  weakened,  or  on  any  account  impugned. 

Again :  when  the  Lord  was  upon  earth,  in  what  manner  did 
He  treat  the  Old  Testament  Word,  whenever  He  spoke  of  it  or 
quoted  passages  from  it  ?  Do  we  anywhere  find  Him  saying,  as 
modem  commentators  have  said,  that  Moses  and  the  prophets  were 
mistaken  in  regard  to  some  things  ?  That  some  things  were  hastily 
written,  and  some  things  negligently  ?  Or  that  the  writers  were 
not  inspired  in  respect  to  everything  which  they  professed  to  utter 
by  divine  dictation  ?  On  the  contrary,  does  He  not  tell  the  Jews 
that  they  erred,  not  knowing  the  Scripture  ?  (Matt.  xxii.  29.)  Does 
He  not  say  that  Moses  and  all  the  prophets  [by  which  is  denoted 
the  Scripture]  wrote  concerning  Himself?  (Luke  xxiv.  27;  John 
V.  46.)  Does  He  not  declare  that  they  [the  Jews]  taught  for 
doctrines  the  commandments  of  men,  and  had  thus  rendered  the 
Word  of  God  of  none  effect  through  their  tradition  ?  (Matt.  xv. 
6,  9  ;  Mark  vii.  13.)  And  does  He  r\ot  assert  the  plenary  divine 
inspiration  of  every  part  of  the  Old  Testament  Scripture,  when 
He  says,  **  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the 
prophets  ;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy  but  to  fulfill  (i.  e.  to  fill  out 
by  revealing  somewhat  of  its  genuine  sense  —  its  fidlness  of  mean- 
ing, which  they  did  not  understand).  For  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
until  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass 


f 


I 


) 


from  the  law  till  all  be  fulfilled.  Whosoever,  therefore,  shall 
break  [i-  e.  shall  weaken  the  authority  of]  one  of  these  least  com- 
mandments, and  shall  teach  men  so,  he  shall  be  called  the  least  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven."  (Matt.  v.  17,  18,  19.) 

Certainly  we  can  have  no  higher  authority  for  affirming,  nor 
strono-er  evidence  than  these  texts  afford  us  for  believing,  that  the 
Scripture,  is  indeed,  what  it  claims  to  be,  without  any  qualification — 
The  Word  of  God  ;  and  that  not  one  iota  is  ever  to  be  set  aside, 
or  to  "pass  from  the  law." 

Now  the  Word  of  God,  taken  in  an  unqualified  sense,  evi- 
dently means  an  expression  of  the  mind  or  of  the  will  of  God. 
**  All  thought,  speech,  and  writing,"  says  Swendenborg,  *' derives 
its  essence^nd  hfe  from  him  who  thinks,  speaks,  and  writes  — the 
man,  with  all  that  he  is,  being  therein ;  but  in  the  Word,  the 
Lord  alone  is."  The  Word  of  God  therefore,  if  it  be  really,  what 
the  terms  import,  an  expression  of  the  Divine  Mind,  must  be  filled 
with  illimitable  treasures  of  sacred  knowledge.  The  love  and  the 
wisdom  of  God  must  pervade  every  part  of  it,  just  as  the  spirit  or 
life  of  man  pervades  every  part  of  his  body,  even  his  fingers  and 
fino-er  nails.  And  in  this  conclusion  we  are  sustained  by  these 
wot'ds  of  the  Apostle,  '^  All  Scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of 
God."  (2  Tim.  iii.  16.)  The  words  ''  given  by  inspiration  of  God," 
are  expressed  in  Greek  by  the  single  term  ^tonv.vsto^  {theopneustos) 
which  literally  signifies  God-breathed.  If,  therefore,  all  Scripture  be 
really  God-breathed,  there  cannot  of  course  appertain  to  it  anything 
of  the  errors,  limitations,  or  infirmities  of  man's  understanding.  It 
must  be  infinite,  perfect,  divine,  in  every  part.  But  how  are 
we  to  reconcile  this  conclusion  with  such  passages  as  have  already 
been  quoted  from  the  Word  ?  Impossible  —  without  admitting  the 
existence  of  a  sense  within  and  above  that  of  the  letter.  This  in- 
ference, I  think,  is  cleariy  deducible  from  what  has  already  been 

said. 

But  there  exist  other  difficulties  in  relation  to  the  written  Word, 
which  furnish  additional  proof  of  the  necessity  of  admitting  an 

internal  sense. 

Every  one  who  is  at  all  familiar  with  the  "Sacred  Oracles,  knows 
that  they  contain  numerous  passages,  which,  to  his  mind,  are  per- 
fectly dark;  passages  which  he  either  does  not  understand,  or 
which  do  not  contain  any  meaning  whatever.  He  knows  that  some 
of  the  historical  parts  of  the  Word,  portions  of  the  Psalms,  much 
of  the  Prophets,  and  nearly  all  the  book  of  Revelation,  convey  to 


t 


100 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


NECESSITY    OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


101 


liis  mind  no  intelligible  idea;  and  are,  moreover,  of  such  a  character, 
that,  agreeably  to  the  principles  of  interpretation  generally  ac- 
knowledged,  any  meaning  or  no  meaning  can  be  extracted  from 
them,  according  to  the  genius  or  fancy  of  the  interpreter.  Let  a 
few  examples  of  this  kind  be  cited  by  way  of  illustration. 

"In  Judah  is  God  known;  his  name  is  great  in  Israel.  In  Salein 
also  is  his  tabernacle,  and  his  dwelling-place  in  Zion.  There  brake 
He  the  arrows  of  the  bow,  the  shield,  the  sword,  and  the  battle.  Thtu 
art  more  glorious  and  excellent  than  the  mountains  of  prey.  The  stout- 
hearted are  spoiled,  they  have  slept  their  sleep  ;  and  none  of  the  men 
of  might  have  found  their  hands.  At  thy  rebuke,  O  God  of  Jacob, 
both  the  chariot  and  horse  are  cast  into  a  dead  sleep.''     (Ps.  Ixxvi.) 

Now  will  any  one,  unacquainted  with  the  internal  sense  of  the 
Word,  or  with  the  Science  of  Correspondences,  say  that  he  derives 
from  this  passage  an  intelligible  idea  ?  Or  would  any  two  such 
persons  be  likely  to  agree  in  regard  to  its  meaning  ? 

Again  in  Ezekiel,  chapter  xxxix: 

«  And  thou  Son  of  Man,  thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Speak  to  the  fowl 
of  every  wing,  and  to  every  beast  of  the  field,  Assemble  yourselves, 
and  come,  and  gather  yourselves  on  every  side  to  my  sacrifice,  that  I 
do  sacrifice  for  you,  [  even  ]  a  great  sacrifice  upon  the  mountains  of 
Israel,  that  ye  may  eat  flesh  and  drink  blood.  Ye  shall  eat  the  flesh 
of  the  mighty,  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  princes  of  the  earth,  of  rams, 
of  lambs,  and  of  goats  ;  of  bullocks,  all  of  them  fatlings  of  Bashan. 
And  ye  shall  eat  fat  till  ye  be  full,  and  drink  blood  till  ye  be  drunken,  of 
my  sacrifice  which  I  have  sacrificed  for  you.  Thus  shall  ye  b?  filled  at 
my  table  with  horses  and  chariots,  with  mighty  men  and  all  men  of 
WSLT,  saith  the  Lord  God." 

It  may  be  said  that  this  passage  does  convey  an  intelligible  idea  ; 
that  it  describes  a  great  feast  prepared  by  the  Lord  God,  especially 
for  all  the  birds  and  beasts.  The  prophet  is  divinely  commissioned 
to  extend  to  them  the  invitation,  and  they  are  to  come  and  eat,  not 
only  the  men  and  horses,  but  also  the  chariots  !  But  although  the 
idea  here  conveyed  in  the  hteral  sense  be  intelligible,  I  ask,  if  it 
be  rational  ? 

Again  in  Habakkuk, 'chapter  iii : 

"  God  came  from  Teman,  and  the  Holy  One  from  mount  Paran. 
Selah.  His  glory  covered  the  heavens,  and  the  earth  was  full  of  his 
praise.  And  his  brightness  was  as  the  light  ;  he  had  horns  coming 
out  of  his  hand  ;  and  there  was  the  hiding  of  his  power.  Before  him 
went  the  pestilence,  and  burning  coals  went  forth  at  his  feet.    He  stood, 


and  measured  the  earth :  he  beheld,  and  drove  asunder  the  nations  ; 
and  the  everlasting  mountains  were  scattered,  the  perpetual  hills  did 
bow.  *  *  *  *  Thou  didst  cleave  the  earth  with  rivers.  The 
mountains  saw  thee,  and  they  trembled  :  the  overflowing  of  the  water 
passed  by  :  the  deep  uttered  his  voice,  and  Hfted  up  his  hands  on  high. 
The  sun  and  moon  stood  still  in  their  habitation  :  at  the  light  of  thine 
arrows  they  went,  and  at  the  shining  of  thy  gUttering  spear." 

Again  in  the  Revelation,  chapter  vi : 

"And  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one  of  the  seals  ;  and  I  heard 
as  it  were  the  noise  of  thunder,  one  of  the  four  beasts,  saying.  Come 
and  see.  And  1  saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse  :  and  he  that  sat  on 
jiim  had  a  bow  ;  and  a  crown  was  given  unto  him  :  and  he  went  forth 
conquering  and  to  conquer.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal, 
I  heard  the  second  beast  say.  Come  and  see.  And  there  went  out 
another  horse  [that  was]  red  ;  and  [power]  was  given  to  him  that 
sat  thereon  to  take  peace  from  the  earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one 
another  :  and  there  was  given  unto  him  a  great  sword.  And  when 
he  had  opened  the  third  seal,  I  heard  the  third  beast  say,  Ciome  and  see. 
And  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  black  horse  ;  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  pair  of 
balances  in  his  hand.  And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  beasts, 
say,  A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of  barley  for 
a  penny;  and  see  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine.  And  when  he  had 
opened  the  fourth  seal,  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth  beast  say.  Come 
and  see.  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  pale  horse  ;  and  his  name  that 
sat  on  him  was  Death,  and  hell  followed  with  him  :  and  power  was 
given  unto  them  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  sword, 
and  with  hunger,  and  with  death,  and  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth." 

Again,  in  chapter  ix : 

"And  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fall  from  heaven 
unto  the  earth  :  and  to  him  was  given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit. 
And  he  opened  the  bottomless  pit :  and  there  arose  a  smoke  out  of  the 
pit,  as  the  smoke  of  a  great  furnace ;  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were 
darkened  by  reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit.  And  there  came  out  of 
the  smoke  locusts  upon  the  earth  :  and  unto  them  was  given  power,  as 
the  scorpions  of  the  earth  have  power.  And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts 
were  like  unto  horses  prepared  unto  battle  ;  and  on  their  heads  were 
as  it  were  crowns  like  gold,  and  their  faces  were  as  the  faces  of  men. 
And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and  their  teeth  were  as  the 
teeth  of  lions.  And  they  had  breastplates,  as  it  were  breastplates  of 
iron  ;  and  the  sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of 
many  horses  running  to  battle.  And  they  had  tails  like  unto  scor- 
pions ;  and  there  were  stings  in  their  tails :  and  their  power  was  to 
hurt  men  five  months.     And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  is  the 


102 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


NECESSITY    or    A    SPIRITUAL   SEKSB. 


103 


angel  of  the  bottomless  pit,  whose  name  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  it- 
Abaddon,  but  in  the  Greek  tongue  hath  his  name  Apollyon." 

Now,  who  that  is  unacquainted  with  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word,  can  derive  from  these  passages  an  idea  at  once  intelligible 
and  rational  ?  For,  without  a  knowledge  of  correspondences,  what 
can  be  understood  by  horses  coming  out  of  a  book,  or  by  the  key 
of  the  bottomless  pit  being  given  to  a  star  ?  And  how  much  there 
is  in  the  Word,  which,  without  a  spiritual  sense,  must  forever  re- 
main as  it  is,  wholly  unintelligible  I 

"Without  the  spiritual  sense,"  says  Swedenborg,  "it  is  impossible 
for  any  one  to  know  why  the  prophet  Jeremiah  was  commanded  to 
buy  himself  a  girdle,  and  not  to  draw  it  through  the  waters,  but  to 
go  to  Euphrates,  and  hide  it  there  in  a  hole  in  the  rock  (Jer.  xiii. 
1 — 7);  or  why  Isaiah  the  prophet  was  commanded  to  loose  the  sack- 
cloth from  off  his  loins,  and  to  put  off  his  shoe  from  off  his  foot^ 
and  to  go  naked  and  barefoot  three  years  (Isaiah  xx.  2,  3) ;  or  why 
Ezekiel  the  prophet  was  commanded  to  make  a  razor  pass  upon  his 
head  and  upfti  his  beard,  and  afterwards  to  divide  them,  and  to  burn  a 
third  part  in  the  midst  of  the  city,  and  to  smite  a  third  part  with 
the  sword,  and  to  scatter  a  third  part  in  the  wind,  and  to  bind  a 
little  of  them  in  his  skirts,  and  at  last  to  cast  them  into  the  midst 
of  the  fire  (Ezek.  v.  1 — 4)  ;  or  why  the  same  prophet  was  command- 
ed to  lie  upon  his  left  side  three  hundred  and  ninety  days,  and  upon 
his  right  side  forty  days,  and  to  make  himself  a  cake  of  wheat,  and 
barley,  and  millet,  and  fitches,  with  cow's  dung,  and  eat  it ;  and  in 
the  mean  time  to  raise  a  rampart  and  a  mound  against  Jerusalem, 
and  besiege  it  (Ezek.  iv.  1 — 15)  ;  or  why  Hosea  was  twice  com- 
manded to  take  to  himself  a  harlot  to  wife  (Hosea  i.  2 — 9  ;  iii.  2, 
3) ;  with  several  other  things  of  a  like  nature.  Moreover,  who  can 
know,  without  the  spiritual  sense,  what  is  signified  by  all  things  ap- 
pertaining to  the  tabernacle ;  as  by  the  ark,  the  mercy-seat,  the 
cherubim,  the  candlestick,  the  altar  of  incense,  the  shew-bread  on 
the  table,  and  the  veils  and  curtains  1  Or  who  would  know,  without 
the  spiritual  sense,  what  is  signified  by  Aaron's  holy  garments  ;  as 
by  his  coat,  his  cloak,  the  ephod,  the  urim  and  thummim,  the  mitre, 
and  several  things  besides  ]  Or,  without  the  spiritual  sense,  who 
would  know  what  is  signified  by  all  those  particulars  which  were 
enjoined  concerning  burnt-offerings,  sacrifices,  meat-offerings,  and 
drink-offerings ;  and  also  concerning  sabbaths  and  feasts  ?  The 
truth  is,  that  nothing  was  enjoined,  be  it  ever  so  minute,  but  what 
was  significative  of  something  appertaining  to  the  Lord,  to  heaven, 
and  to  the  church.  From  these  few  instances  then  it  may  be  plainlv 
seen,  that  there  is  a  spiritual  sense  in  all  and  every  part  of  the 
Word.*'-^(Z).  5f.  iS.  n.  16.) 


<• 


^4 


!■ 


Nor  can  it  be  said  that  passages  like  those  above  cited  are  to  be 
found  only  by  long  seeking.  They  occur  frequently  m  almost 
every  part  of  the  Sacred  Volume.  And  it  is  well  known  that  there 
are  no  principles  of  interpretation  commonly  known  and  acknow- 
ledcred  by  a  fair  application  of  which  we  are  able  to  elicit  from 
these  'and  other  similar  portions  of  the  Word,  a  clear,  consistent, 
and  rational  meaning.  Almost  every  one  is  ready  to  acknowledge, 
that,  if  such  passages  have  any  meaning,  it  is  concealed  under  a 

thick  cloud.  j    •      i 

But,  says  one,  *^  There  is  enough  of  Scripture  plain  and  simple 
that  we  can  understand  ;  why  then  should  we  be  troubled  about 
portions  which  are  cloudy  or  obscure?'' 

Suppose  a  man  could  see  just  well  enough  to  enable  him  to  walk 
the  street  tolerably  well  without  stumbling ;  should  we  consider 
him  wise  in  refusing  the  gift  of  more  light  or  better  eyesight,  which 
would  enable  him  not  only  to  walk  more  securely,  but  also  to  read 
and  write  ?  By  no  means.  Then,  certainly,  we  are  not  wise  in 
refusino-  the  gift— the  precious  gift  — of  a  revelation  which  unfolds 
hicrher^nd  purer  truth  even  in  the  simplest  portions  of  God's 
W'^ord,  at  the  same  time  that  it  renders  the  darkest  parts  lumi- 
nous and  beautiful. 

Still,  if  there  be  those  who  are  perfectly  satisfied  with  their 
present  attainments  in  spiritual  knowledge  —  who  have  no  desire 
for  a  better  understanding  of  the  Word  than  they  already  possess 
—  who  see  therein  all  the  truth  that  they  desire  to  know,  I  have 
only  to  say,  that  this  New  Revelation  is  not  for  them. 

I  trust  no  more  need  be  added  to  prove  the  necessity  of  either 
admitting  an  internal  sense  to  the  Word,  or  of  utteriy  rejecting  a 
large  imviion  of  U  at  least,  as  the  offspring  of  uninspired,  erratic, 
and  even  distempered  minds.  Nor  need  it  here  be  intimated  which 
alternative  a  wise  man  will  choose. 

The  sum  of  what  has  been  said  is  this : 

There  are  to  be  found  in  the  Sacred  Scripture  some  statements 
which  appear  to  contradict  others  ;  some  which  appear  to  contra- 
dict the  truths  of  science  ;  some  which  appear  contrary  to  the 
principles  of  pure  morality  ;  some  which  appear  unimportant  and  tri- 
vial ;  and  many,  which,  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  are  altogether  irra- 
tional or  unintelligible.  In  consequence  of  such  appearances  m 
the  letter  of  the  Word,  modern  commentators,  who  are  m  the  ac- 
knowledgment of  no  other  than  the  apparent  or  Hteral  sense,  have 


104 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


adopted  such  loose  notions  in  regard  to  the  inspiration  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, as  do  virtually  deny  that  it  is  really  the  Word  of  God. 
But  this  title  the  Scripture  claims  for  itself  in  many  places  ;  and, 
moreover,  was  frequently  applied  to  the  Old  Testament  by  the 
Lord  himself  when  on  earth.  And  not  only  so,  but  He  has  de- 
clared that  its  authority  is  unquestionable  — that  it  cannot  be  brok- 
en —  that  not  even  the  smallest  part  of  it  is  ever  to  be  abtoo-ated : 
*'  Till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  iota  or  one  little  shall  in  no  wise 
pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled/'  And  inasmuch  as  the  literal 
sense  of  many  portions  of  Scripture  cannot  be  reconciled  with  the  re- 
peated declarations  of  the  Lord,  that  it  is  the  Word  of  God,  and  hence 
the  very  Divine  Truth,  we  must  either  admit  that  it  contains  a  spirit- 
ual sense  within  the  letter,  or  else  accuse  the  Lord  of  false  affirma- 
tions, or  a  most  heedless  use  of  languao-e. 

In  the  course  of  my  remarks  I  have  not  forborne  to  state  frankly 
and  fully  the  difficulties  to  be  encountered,  according  to  the  usual 
mode  of  interpreting  the  Scripture.  They  are  difficulties  upon  which 
the  infidel  grounds  his  objections  to  the  Bible  as  a  special  revelation 
from  God.  And  candor  forces  us  to  acknowledge,  that,  if  there 
be  no  other  sense  to  the  Scripture  above  that  which  is  obvious  and 
apparent,  these  difficulties  are  insuperable. 

But  let  no  one  be  alarmed  for  the  Sacred  Oracles,  on  account  of 
the  difficulties  that  have   been   stated  in  this  lecture.     Let  each 
rather  turn  his  eyes  towards  the  Son  of  Man,  who  is  now  lifted  up 
in  the  wilderness.     Let  him  come  to  the  glorious  tmths  of  the 
New  Dispensation,  before  whose  brilliant  light  these  difficulties  will 
all  vanish,  and  the  clouds  round  about  God's  Word  will  gradually 
melt  away  and  disappear,  like  mists  before  the  morning  slin.     Let 
him  rest  assured,  that,  while  multitudes  are  rendering  void  the  law 
by  their  low  and   false  notions  of  inspiration— making  the  Word 
of  God  of  none  eflfect  by  their  traditions  —  the  doctrines   of  the 
New  Church,  like  the  Lord  at  His  first  advent,  have  come,  not  to 
destroy  one  tittle  of  the  law,  but  to  fill  it  all  out  in  the  most  emi- 
nent degree.     They  have  come  to  reveal  the  divine  fulness,  order, 
and  perfection  of  God's  Word  —  breathing  spirit  and  life  into  all 
its  minutest  parts  —  and  raising  it  from  that  powerless  and  death 
like    state,  wherein   the    ignorance  and  wickedness  of  men  have 
entombed  it. 

^o  one  who  looks  around  upon  the  present  aspect  of  the  world, 
can  fail  to  perceive  that  a  spirit  of  inquiry  is  abroad  — of  inquiry 
upon  all  subjects  — searching  as  the  light'of  day,  independent  and 


NECESSITY    OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


105 


free  as  the  mountain  wind.     This  spirit  is  at  once  the  offspring  and 
the  harbinger  of  the  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth,  which  the 
Lord  is  even  now  creating.     Will  this  spirit  stop  at  the  boundaries 
of  science  and  art?     Will  it  satiate  itself  with  the  investigation  of 
natural  phenomena  alone  ?     No:  never.     This  spirit  will  look  — 
nay,  is  even  now  looking  —  above  and  beyond  nature,  and  is  ask- 
ing to  know  the  laws  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  the  principles  ac- 
cording to  which  the  Sacred  Scripture  is  composed.     From  the 
great  heart  of  Christendom  there  cometh  a  voice,  which  ere  long 
will  be  heard  louder  than  seven  thunders,  inquiring  :    What  does 
the  Word  of  God  really  teach  ?     In  what  sense  is  it  inspired  ? 
Wherein  does  its  divinity  consist  ?     How  are  its  apparent  contra- 
dictions, discrepancies,  trivialities,  &c.,  to  be  reconciled  with  the 
idea  that  it  is  God's  Word  and  not  man's  ^     What  are  the  true 
principles  of  interpretation  to  be  applied   to  the  unfolding  of  its 
spirit  and  life  ?     Are  there  any  laws  in  its  composition  as  fixed  and 
orderly  as  those  according  to  which  the  grass  grows  or  the  plan- 
ets move  ? 

Such  are  the  inquiries  which  the  Christian  world  has  already  be- 
gun to  make  —  inquiries  which  the  old  theology  in  vain  essays  to 
answer.  Multitudes,  who  have  never  expressed  such  interrogatories 
in  any  form  of  words,  are  yet  making  them  deep  in  their  hearts, 
though  they  may  scarcely  know  it.  And  has  the  gracious  Lord  left 
the  world  to  hear  in  these  inquiries  nought  but  the  sad  echo  of  its 
own  voice  ?  No.  He  has  answered,  and  more  than  answered 
them  all  in  anticipation  in  the  truths  now  revealed  for  the  use  of 
His  New  Church.  Here  He  no  longer  speaketh  in  parables,  but 
shows  us  plainly  of  the  Father. 

May  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  open  all  our  eyes,  that  we  may  *'  be- 
hold wondrous  things  out  of  His  law." 


LECTURE  V. 


THE     SACRED     SCRIPTURE PROOFS     OF     THE    EXISTENCE    OF    A    SPIR- 
ITUAL   SENSE. 


"  The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you  are  spirit  and  are  life." — John  n.  63. 


It  is  a  common  thing,  when  people  are  addressed  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  the  New  Dispensation,  to  hear  them  say  :  ''  We  care  no- 
thing about  doctrines  ;  much  less  do  we  wish  to  be  any  mans  disci- 
ples. We  think  it  far  the  safer  course  to  adhere  to  the  Bible  alone. 
This,  we  believe,  is  the  Word  of  God,  and  therefore  an  infallible 
guide  to  heaven.  But  as  for  Swedenborg,  we  know  not  with  re- 
gard to  his  writings  whether  they  be  true  or  false  —  from  heaven 
or  from  hell.  Hence  we  prefer  to  let  them  alone,  and  go  directly 
to  the  Word  itself." 

Did  not  men  seek  to  excuse  themselves  for  rejecting  the  Messiah 
at  His  first  advent,  by  a  similar  process  of  reasoning  ?  When  on 
one  occasion  the  Lord  had  performed  a  notable  miracle  of  healing 
upon  one  who  had  been  blind  from  his  birth,  the  Jews  were  urgent 
that  the  man  who  had  been  healed  should  tell  how  his  eyes  had 
been  opened.  "  One  thing,"  says  the  man,  "  1  know,  that,  whereas 
I  was  blind,  now  I  see.**  And  upon  their  reiterating  the  inquiry, 
*•  He  answered  them,  I  have  told  you  already,  and  ye  did  not  hear. 
Wherefore  would  ye  hear  it  again  ?  Will  ye  also  be  his  disciples  ? 
Then  they  reviled  him  and  said.  Thou  art  his  disciple,  but  we  are 
Moses'  disciples.  We  know  that  God  spake  unto  Moses  :  [as  for 
this  fellow,]  we  know  not  from  whence  he  is."  (John  ix.  27 — 29.) 

On  another  occasion  the  Lord  says  to  them  ;  '*  Search  the  Scrip- 
tures ;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life  :  and  these  are 
they  which  testify  of  me."  (John  v.  39.)  And  He  further  tells 
them  that  even  Moses,  in  whom  they  trusted,  was  their  accuser  : 
"For  had  ye  believed  Moses,"  says  He  ''  ye  would  have  believed 
me  ;  for  he  wrote  of  me.  But  if  ye  believe  not  his  writings,  how 
shall  ye  believe  my  words  ?"  (v.  46,  47.) 
(106) 


EXISTENCE    OF    A    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


107 


But  the  Scripture  does  testify  of  the  Lord  at  this  His  second 
appearincr  in  the  truths  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  as  certamly  and  as 
plainly  as  of  His  first  advent.     And  we  would  say  to  those  who  en- 
deavor to  excuse  themselves  for  their  neglect  of  the  revelations 
made  for  the  New  Church,  upon  the  ground  that  the  Scripture  it- 
self is  an  all-sufficient  guide,  that  if  they  really  believed  the  Scrip- 
ture to  be  divinely  inspired,  they  would  believe  this  new  revelation 
also;    for  the    Scripture  speaks  of    this  revelation  —  does  actu- 
ally 'foretell   this   second    and    glorious   appearing  of   our  Lord ; 
and  every  page  of  the  writings  of  Swedenborg  bears  witness  that 
the  doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem  are  by  no  means  the  offspring 
of  any  man's  self-derived  intelligence,  but  are  from  Him  who  is 
-  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life."     And  all  who  come  to  a  ra- 
tional understanding  of  the  truths  herein  revealed,  and  who  live 
according  to  them,  may  know  of  these  New  Doctrines  whether  they 
be  of  God,  or  whether  Swedenborg  speaks  of  himself. 

In  my  last  lecture  I  endeavored  to  show,  from  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
ture itself,  the  necessity  of  either  admitting  the  existence  of  an  in- 
ternal sense,  or  of  rejecting  many  portions  of  it  at  least,  as  possess- 
incr  no  proper  divinity  or  inspiration.    To  this  end.  therefore,  seve- 
ral passages  were  adduced,  which  evidently  cannot  be  true  in  their 
strictly  literal  sense.     For  it  was  shown  that  some  passages,  ac- 
cordin-  to  the  sense  of  the  letter,  contradict  others  ;  that  some 
contradict  the  truths  of  science  ;  that  some  are   opposed  to  pure 
morality  ;  and  that  others  are  exceedingly  trivial  and  ummportant ; 
and  also  that  many  passages  convey  no  intelligible  idea  whatever. 
But  inasmuch  as  the  Lord  Himself  has  declared  that  -  the  Scrip- 
ture cannot  be  broken,"  and  that  -it  is  easier  for    heaven  and 
earth  to  pass  than  for  one  tittle  of  the  law  to  fail,"  we  are  forced 
to  the  conclusion  that  there  must  be,  in  inany  parts  of  the  Word,  an 
internal  or  spiritual  sense.     And  if  we  admit  that  such  a  sense 
exists  in  certain  portions,  we  must  also  admit  that  it  exists  through- 
out ;  otherwise  we  must  deny  that   there  belongs  to   the  Word 
of  God  anything  of  the  order  and  uniformity  which  appertain  to 
His  works.     And  this  were  nothing  less  than  to  deny  that  it  is  a 

divine  composition.  r-  o    •  *  ^« 

But  because  it  has  been  shown  that  many  parts  of  Scripture 
cannot  be  true  in  the  hteral  sense,  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  the 
New  Church  rejects  or  lightly  esteems  the  letter  of  the  \\  ord.  On 
the  contrary,  it  entertains  the  highest  reverence  for  the  letter ;  not, 
however,  on  account  of  what  it  is  in  and  of  itself  alone,  but  on 


108 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


account  of  that  pearl  of  infinite  value,  which  it  contains  within  its 
bosom.  The  use  of  the  literal  sense,  and  the  estimation  in  which 
this  sense  is  held  by  the  New  Church,  may  be  seen  in  the  following 
extracts  from  Swedenborg. 

"  In  the  Word,  which  is  a  divine  work  expressly  given  for  the 
salvation  of  mankind,  the  ultimate  sense,  which  is  natural  and  is 
called  the  literal  sense,  is  the  basis,  continent,  and  firmament  of  the 
two  interior  senses.  Hence  it  follows,  that  the  Word  without  its 
literal  sense,  would  be  like  a  palace  without  a  foundation  ;  that  is, 
like  a  palace  in  the  air  and  not  on  the  ground,  which  could  only  be 
the  shadow  of  a  palace,  and  must  vanish  away ;  also,  that  the 
Word,  without  its  literal  sense,  would  be  like  a  temple,  in  which 
are  many  holy  things,  and  in  the  midst  thereof  the  holy  of  holies, 
without  a  roof  and  walls  to  form  the  continents  thereof ;  in  which 
case  its  holy  things  would  be  plundered  by  thieves,  or  be  violated 
bv  the  beasts  of  the  earth  and  the  birds  of  heaven,  and  thus  be 
dissipated.  In  the  same  manner,  it  would  be  like  the  tabernacle, 
in  the  inmost  place  whereof  was  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and  in 
the  middle  part  the  golden  candlestick,  the  golden  altar  for 
incense,  and  also  the  table  for  shewbread,  which  were  its  holy 
things,  without  its  ultimates,  which  were  the  curtains  and  veils. 
Yea,  the  Word  without  its  literal  sense,  would  be  like  the  human 
body  without  its  coverings,  which  are  called  skins,  and  without  its 
supporters,  which  are  called  bones,  of  which,  supposing  it  to  be 
deprived,  Us  inner  parts  must  of  necessity  be  dispersed  and  perish. 
It  would  also  be  hke  the  heart  and  the  lun^^s  in  the  thorax 
deprived  of  their  covering,  which  is  called  the  i)leuray  and  their 
supporters,  which  are  called  the  ribs  ;  or  like  the  brain  without  its 
coverings,  which  are  called  the  dura  and  pia  mater,  and  without  its 
common  covering,  continent  and  firmament,  which  is  called  the 
skull.  Such  would  be  the  state  of  the  Word  without  its  Hteral 
sense  ;  wherefore  it  is  said  in  Isaiah,  that  *the  Lord  will  create  upon 
all  the  glory  a  covering.'  "  —  J).  S.  S.n»  32-3. 

**  The  Word  is  pre-eminently  the  Word  in  its  literal  sense  ;  for 
in  this  sense,  spirit  and  life  are  inwardly  contained  ;  and  this  is 
what  the  Lord  meant  when  He  said,  '  The  words  which  I  speak 
unto  you,  ihey  are  spirit  and  the}'  are  life,'  (John,  vi.  63)  ;  for  the 
Lord  spake  these  words  before  the  world,  and  in  the  natural  sense. 
The  celestial  and  spiritual  senses  are  not  the  Word  without  the 
natural  sense,  which  is  the  sense  of  the  letter  ;  for  in  such  case  they 


BXlSTEirCB   OF    A    SPtRTTTTAL   SENSE. 


109 


would  be  like  spirit  and  life  without  a  body  ;  or,  as  was  said  above, 
like  a  palace  which  has  no  foundation. 

"  The  truths  of  the  hteral  sense  of  the  Word  are,  in  some  cases, 
not  naked  truths,  but  only  appearances  of  truth,  and  are  like 
similitudes  and  comparisons  taken  from  the  objects  of  nature,  and 
thus  accomodated  and  brought  down  to  the  apprehension  of  simple 
minds  and  of  children.  But  whereas  they  are  at  the  same  time 
correspondences,  they  are  the  receptacles  and  abodes  of  genuine 
truth  ;  and  they  are  like  containing  vessels,  —  like  a  crystalline  cup 
containing  excellent  wine,  or  a  silver  dish  containing  rich  meats  ;  or 
they  are  like  garments  clothing  the  body,  — like  swaddling  clothes 
on  an  infant,  or  an  elegant  dress  on  a  beautiful  virgin  :  they  are  also 
like  the  scientifics  of  the  natural  man,  which  comprehend  in  them 
the  perceptions  and  affections  of  truth  of  the  spiritual  man.  The 
naked  truths  themselves,  which  are  included,  contained,  attired, 
and  comprehended,  are  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  and  the 
naked  principles  of  good  are  in  its  celestial  sense."*  —i6.  n.  39. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  hteral  sense  of  the  Word  is  not  rejected  or 
undervalued  by  Swedenborg,  but  is  regarded  as  a  vessel  which 
contains  the  things  of  spirit  and  of  life.  The  letter  is  the  foundation 
on  which  the  internal  senses  rest,  and  the  medium  through  which 
these  senses  are  brought  down  and  accomodated  to  man's  state  of 
reception.  It  is  a  kind  of  material  body  to  the  Word,  by  means 
of  which  the  divine  Soul  or  Spmt  within  holds  communication  with 
human  minds,  just  as  our  material  bodies  are  the  media  through 
which  our  spirits  hold  intercourse  with  one  another  here  on  earth. 

Nor  is  it  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church  that  no  part 
of  Scripture  is  true  in  its  literal  sense.  On  the  contrary,  these 
writings  admit  that  much  of  the  Old  Testament  contains  a  true 
history  of  things  which  actually  occured  as  therein  recorded  ;  that 
the  history  of^the  Lord's  advent,  of  his  teaching,   miracles,  and 


*  It  is  taught  in  the  Doctrine  concerning  the  Sacred  Scripture  by  Emanuel 
Swedenborg,  that  *'  there  is  a  sense  still  more  interior  (than  the  spiritual) 
which  is  called  Celestial  ;  but  this  sense  cannot  easily  be  unfolded,  not  being 
HO  much  the  object  of  intellectual  thought  as  of  will-affection.  The  true 
ground  and  reason  why  there  is  in  the  Word  a  sense  still  more  interior,  which 
is  called  celestial,  is,  because  from  the  Lord  proceed  Divine  Good  and  Diviue 
Truth— Divine  Good  from  his  Divine  Love,  and  Divine  Truth  from  his  Divine 
Wisdom  ;  each  is  in  the  Word,  for  the  Word  is  the  Divine  Proceeding.  It  is 
on  this  account  that  the  Word  imparts  life  to  those  that  read  it  under  holy 
Influenco.**    (n.  19.) 


I 


no 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


EXISTENCE    OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


Ill 


death,  is  literally  true.  But  these  writings  also  teach,  that  even 
those  portions  of  the  Word  which  contain  true  history  have  an 
internal  sense,  which  is  vastly  more  important,  and  on  account,  of 
which  the  history  was  written.  The  spiritual  sense  is  the  principal 
thing  regarded  in  the  history.  Consequently  wherever  the  history 
departs  in  any  instance  from  facts  as  they  actually  occured,  it  is  in 
accommodation  to  the  spiritual  sense,  to  which  the  letter  is  held 
subordinate,  and  must  always  bend. 

But  if  there  be  any,  who  are  not  in  a  state  to  receive  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word  as  revealed  by  Swedenborg,  and  who  would 
feel  pained  on  discovering  that  the  Scripture  is  not  all  literally 
true,  we  have  no  desire  to  disturb  their  minds.  The  New  doctrines 
are  not  for  them.  And  it  is  much  better  that  they  should  believe 
the  Word  to  be  all  true  according  to  the  letter  —  that  they  should 
believe  in  contradictions,  or  (which  perhaps  is  oftener  the  case) 
think  nothing  about  them,  nor  be  troubled  with  parts  which  they  do 
not  understand,  than  that  their  faith  in  the  Scripture  as  a  special 
revelation  from  God,  should  be  in  any  degree  impaired. 

Having  in  the  preceding  lecture,  proved  the  necessity  of  admitting 
an  internal  sense,  I  design  in  this  to  show  that  there  actually  is  such 
a  sense  in  the  Divine  Word. 

But  some,  perhaps,  may  ask.  If  this  be  so,  why  have  not  some 
of  the  great  and  good  men  in  the  Christian  Church  believed  and 
taught  it  ?     For  if  it  be  possible  to  prove  from  Scripture  not  only 
the  necessity,  but  the  actual  existence  of  an  internal  sense,  we 
should  suppose  that  the  fact  itself  would  have  been  noticed  and 
acknowledged  by  some,  at  least,  of  the  former  Church  ;  although  the 
precise  character  of  this  internal  sense,  and  the  principles  accordino- 
to  which  it  is  to  be  developed,  might  not  have  been  understood. 
This  was  the  case  in  respect  to  the  Lord's  first  advent.    The  Jews, 
relying  on  the  promises  contained  in  their  Scriptures,  were  in  the 
acknowledgment    that  a  Messiah  was  to  come,  although  they  did  not 
understand  in  what  character  He  would  appear,  nor  what  kind  of  a 
kingdom  He  was  coming  to  establish.     Now  if  the  Word  really 
contains  a  spiritual  sense,  and  does  itself  actually  bear  testimony  to 
the  existence  of  such  a  sense,  why,  it  may  fairly  be  uro-ed,  has 
there  not  been  at  least  some  general  or  confused  notion  of  it  in  the 
first  Christian  Church  ? 

Before  proceeding,  therefore,  to  our  Scripture  argument  in 
proof  of  the  existence  of  an  internal  sense,  it  may  be  expedient 
briefly  to  consider  this  question  ;  to  see  if  some  of  the  great  mn.rfs 


A 


in  the  first  Christian  Church  have  not  had  a  pretty  strong  convic- 
tion that  there  is  a  deeper  meaning  to  the  Word,  or  to  some  parts 
of  it  at  least,  than  that  which  is  contained  in  the  sense  of  the 
letter. 

Bishop  Home,  in  his  *'  Introduction  to  the  Critical  Study  and 
Knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,''  (a  work  of  standard  authority 
and  in  high  repute  among  biblical  scholars),  has  the  following  re- 
marks on  the  interpretation  of  Scripture  : 

*'A11  our  ideas  are  admitted  through  the  medium  of  the  senses, 
and  consequently  refer  in  the  first  place  to  external  objects ;  but 
no  sooner  are  we  convinced  that  we  possess  an  immaterial  soul  or 
spirit,  than  we  find  occasion  for  other  terms,  or,  for  want  of  these, 
another  application  of  the  same  term  to  a  diflferent  class  of  ob- 
jects ;  and  hence  arises  the  necessity  of  resorting  to  figurative  and 
sjnritual  interpretation."  (Vol.  II.  pt.  2.  chap.  ii.  §  5.) 

In  the  same  chapter  and  section  this  learned  author  speaks  of 
the  necessity  of  admitting  a  mystical  or  spiritual  interpretation  in 
the  following  terms  : 

"  But  independently  of  the  able  argument  a  priori,*  here  cited, 
in  favor  of  the  mediate.,  mystical,  or  spiritual  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures,  unless  such  interpretation  be  admitted,  we  cannot  avoid 
one  of  two  great  difficulties ;  for,  either  we  must  assert  that  the 
multitude  of  applications,  made  by  Christ  and  His  Apostles,  are 
fanciful  and  unauthorized,  and  wholly  inadequate  to  prove  the 
points  for  which  they  are  quoted  ;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  we  must 
believe  that  the  obvious  and  natural  sense  of  such  passages  was 
never  intended,  and  that  it  was  a  mere  illusion.  The  Christian 
will  not  assent  to  the  former  of  these  positions  ;  the  pidlosopher 
and  the  critic  will  not  readily  assent  to  the  latter." 

This  writer  also  considers  the  spiritual  sense  as  superior  to  the 
literal  in  point  of  dignity  and  importance.  '•  The  literal  sense," 
he  says,  **  it  has  been  well  observed,  is  undoubtedly  first  in  point 
of  nature,  as  well  as  in  order  of  signification  ;  and  consequently, 
when  investigating  the  meaning  of  any  passage,  this  must  be  as- 
certained before  we  can  proceed  to  search  out  its  mystical  import  ; 
but  the  true  and  genuine  mystical  or  spiritual  sense  excels  the 
hteral  in  dignity,  the  latter  being  only  the  medium  of  conveying 
the  former,  which  is  more  evidently  designed  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

•  Reference  is  here  made  to  the  argument  of  Dr.  Clarke,  quoted  page  112. 


Hi 


lit 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


NECESSITY   OF   A   SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


113 


For  instance,  in  Numbers  xxi.  8,  9,  compared  with  John  iii.  14,  the 
brazen  serpent  is  said  to  have  been  lifted  up,  in  order  to  signify 
the  lifting  up  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world  ;  and  con- 
sequently that  the  type  might  serve  to  designate  the  antitype." 
(Vol.  II.  pt.  2.  chap,  vi.) 

Dr.  John  Clarke,  in  his  *' Inquiry  into  the  Origin  of  Evil/'  in 
the  folio  collection  of  Boyle's  Lectures,  vol.  iii.  p.  229,  says  : 

"  The  foundation  of  religion  and  virtue  being  laid  in  the  mind 
and  heart,  the  secret  dispositions  and  genuine  acts  of  which  are 
invisible,  and  known  only  to  a  man's  self,  therefore  the  powers  and 
operations  of  the  mind  can  only  be  expressed  in  figurative  terms, 
and  external  symbols.  The  motives  also  and  inducements  to  prac- 
tice are  spiritual,  s  r^h  as  affect  men  in  a  way  of  moral  influence, 
and  not  of  natural  efficiency  ;  the  principal  of  which  are  drawn 
from  the  consideration  of  a  future  state  ;  and  consequently  these 
likewise  must  be  represented  by  allegories  and  similitudes  taken 
from  things  most  known  and  familiar  here.  And  thus  we  find  in 
Scripture  the  state  of  religion  illustrated  by  all  the  beautiful  images 
we  can  conceive.  In  the  interpretation  of  places,  in  which  any  of 
these  images  are  contained,  the  principal  regard  is  to  be  had  to 
the  figyrative  or  spiritual,  and  not  to  the  literal  sense  of  the  words: 
From  not  attending  to  which,  have  arisen  absurd  doctrines  and 
inferences,  which  weak  men  have  endeavored  to  establish  as  Scrip- 
ture truths ;  whereas,  in  the  other  method  of  explication,  the 
things  are  plain  and  easy  to  every  one's  capacity,  make  the  deep- 
est and  most  lasting  impressions  upon  their  minds,  and  have  the 
greatest  influence  upon  their  practice." 

Thus  it  appears  that  Dr.  Clarke  was  clearly  of  the  opinion  that 
there  must  be,  and  is,  a  spiritual  sense  to  some  parts  of  Scrip- 
ture at  least. 

AQ:!iin  :  the  learned  Dr.  Lowth,  in  his  commentary  upon  the  pro- 
phecy of  Isaiah,  mentions  that  the  portion  of  this  book  from  chap.  xL 
to  the  end,  treats,  in  its  ulterior  and  most  important  sense,  of  i\iQ 
Lord's  advent  upon  earth,  and  of  the  establishment  by  Him  of  a 
spiritual  kingdom.  This  is  what  the  Doctor  calls  ''  the  evangelical 
sense  of  the  prophecy,"  which  he  says,  "  is  so  apparent,  and  stands 
forth  in  so  strong  a  light,  that  some  interpreters  cannot  see  that 
it  has  any  other  ;  and  will  not  allow  the  prophecy  to  have  any  re- 
lation at  all  to  the  return  from  the  captivity  of  Babylon."  But  he 
gives   it  as  his  own  opinion,  ''that  the  return  of  the  Jews  from 


Babylon  is  the  first,  though  not  the  principal  thing  in  the  prophet's 
view."  And  after  showing  that  natural  or  outward  events,  as  re- 
corded in  the  Hteral  sense,  were  referred  to  by  the  prophet,  he  con- 
cludes with  these  words  :  "  If  the  literal  sense  of  this  prophecy,  as 
above  explained,  cannot  be  questioned,  much  less,  surely,  can  the 
spiritual;  which  I  think  is  allowed  on  all  hands,  even  by  Grotius 
himself.  [And]  if  both  are  to  be  admitted,  here  is  a  plain  exam- 
ple of  the  mystical  allegory,  or  double  sense,  as  it  is  commonly 
called,  of  prophecy ;  which  the  sacred  writers  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment clearly  suppose,  and  according  to  which  they  frequently  frame 
their  interpretations  of  the  Old  Testament." 

Similar  views  on  this  subject  were  entertained  by  Bishop  War- 
burton.     In  his  Divine  Legation  (b.  iv.  §  4),  he  says  : 

"  The  old  Asiatic  style,  so  highly  figurative,  seems,  by  what  we 
find  of  its  remains  in  the  prophetic  language  of  the  Sacred  Writ- 
ings, to  have  been  evidently  fashioned  to  the  mode  of  ancient  hiero- 
glyphics, both  curiologic  and  tropical ;  —  of  the  second  kind,  which 
answers  to  the  tropical  hieroglyphic,  is  the  calling  empires,  kings, 
and  nobles,  by  the  names  of  the  heavenly  luminaries,  the  sun, 
moon,  and  stars ;  their  temporary  disasters,  or  entire  overthrow, 
by  eclipses  and  extinctions  ;  the  destruction  of  the  nobility,  by  stars 
falling  from  the  firmament ;  hostile  invasions,  by  thunder  and 
tempestuous  winds  ;  the  leaders  of  armies,  conquerors,  and  found- 
ers of  empires,  by  lions,  bears,  leopards,  goats,  or  high  trees.  In 
a  word,  the  prophetic  style  seems  to  be  a  speaking  hieroglyphic y 

Jeremy  Taylor,  speaking  of  the  books  of  Moses,  says  in  one  of 
his  sermons  :  **  There  is  a  secret  in  these  books,  which  few  men  — 
none  but  the  godly  —  did  u  derstand ;  and  though  much  of  this 
secret  is  made  manifest  in  the  gospel,  yet  even  here  also  there  is  a 
letter  and  there  is  a  spirit. ^^ 

Again,  this  writer  says:  *'  In  all  Scripture  there  is  a  spiritual 
sense,  a  spiritual  cabala,  which,  as  it  tends  directly  to  holiness,  so 
it  is  best  and  truest  understood  by  the  sons  of  the  Spirit,  who 
love  God,  and  therefore  know  Him." 

Dr.  Arnold  says:  *'If  I  am  asked  why  I  do  not  take  the 
*  water '  [in  Scripture]  literally,  according  to  Hooker's  canon  of 
criticism,  when  he  says,  that  '  in  the  interpretation  of  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, that  sense  which  is  nearest  the  letter  is  commonly  the  safest,' 
I  answer,  that  such  a  canon,  as  apphed  to  a  collection  of  works  so 
different  in  point  of  style  as  those  of  the  Scriptures,  is  at  once 
ridiculous." 
10 


114 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


Bean  Woodhouse  says  :  "  The  numerous  prophecies  foretell- 
ing great  and  everlasting  glory  to  Jerusalem,  have  not  been  fulfill- 
ed in  the  literal  Jerusalem  ;  nor  can  be  so  fulfilled  without  contra- 
dicting other  predictions,  especially  those  of  our  Lord,  which  have 
denounced  its  ruin.  They  remain,  therefore,  to  be  fulfilled  in  a 
spiritual  sense.'' — Woodhouse  on  the  Apoc.  p.  89. 

John  Bunyan  believed  there  was  a  spiritual  sense  to  the  Scrip- 
ture, as  manifestly  appears  from  the  following  pertinent  reply  to 
some  of  his  friends,  whom  he  had  consulted  in  regard  to  the  pub- 
lication of  his  **  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  and  who  told  him  that  his 
words  "  want  solidness'* — that  '*  metaphors  make  us  blind  :  " 

"  But  must  T  needs  want  solidness,  because 
By  metaphors  I  speak  ?     Were  not  God's  laws, 
His  gospel  laws,  in  olden  time,  held  forth 
By  Types,  Shadows,  and  Metaphors  ?     Yet  loth 
Will  any  sober  man  be  to  find  fault 
With  them,  lest  he  be  found  to  assault 
The  highest  wisdom  I     No:  he  rather  stoops 
And  seeks  to  find  out  by  what '  Pins  '  and  '  Loops,' 
By  •  Calves '  and  «  Sheep,'  by  '  Heifers  '  and  by  '  Rams,' 
By  *  Birds  '  and  '  Herbs,'  and  by  the  blood  of  *  Lambs,' 
God  speaketh  to  him;  and  happy  is  he 
That  finds  the  light  and  grace  that  in  them  be." 

These  extracts,  will  suffice  to  show,  that  there  have  been  in  the 
first  Christian  Church  a  perception  and  acknowledgment  by  some 
of  its  ablest  writers,  of  something  besides  the  mere  literal  sense,  in 
some  parts  of  the  Word  at  least.  All  modern  commentators,  how- 
ever, have  not  been  of  this  opinion  — far  from  it.  The  learned 
Dr.  Mosheim  lays  it  down  as  a  -golden  rule,"  that  the  Scripture 
contains  but  one  sense,  which  is  that  of  the  letter.  And  in  this 
opinion  theologians  appear  to  be  more  generally  agreed  at  the  pre- 
sent day,  than  at  any  former  period  of  the  church  :  for  it  is  wor- 
thy of  remark,  that,  as  we  trace  backwards  the  history  of  theolo- 
gical opinions,  we  find  the  belief  that  the  Scripture  does  contain  a 
spiritual  sense,  becoming  more  and  more  prevalent  the  nearer  we 
approach  to  the  early  age  of  the  church. 

And  now  —  passing  by  the  writers  upon  theology  at  subsequent 
periods  — let  us  see  what  opinion  the  primitive  Christians  enter- 
tained upon  this  subject. 

Dr.  Mosheim,  the  celebrated  historian,  mentions  among  the 
illustrious  writers  of  the  second  century,  and  men  most  renowned 


EXISTENCE  OF  A   6PIBITDAL  SENSE. 


115 


for  their  piety  and  erudition,  the  names  of  Pantsenus,  Clemens  of 
Alexandria,  Tatian,  Justin  Martyr,  and  Theophilus,  Bishop  of 
Antioch.  And  concerning  these  distinguished  luminaries  in  the 
Church,  he  says  :  "  They  all  attributed  a  douhle  sense  to  the  words 
of  Scripture,  the  one  obvious  and  literal,  the  other  hidden  and  mys  - 
terious,  which  lay  concealed,  as  it  were,  under  the  veil  of  the 
outward  letter.  The  former  they  treated  with  the  utmost  neglect, 
and  turned  the  whole  force  of  their  genius  and  application  to  unfold 
the  latter.'*     (Cent.  II.  part  2,  chap.  iii.  §  4,  5.) 

Among  the  Christian  fathers  of  the  third  century,  the  name  of 
Origen  stands  pre-eminent.  Speaking  of  *'  the  principal  writers  that 
distinguished  themselves"  in  this  century,  by  their  learned  and 
pious  productions.  Dr.  Mosheim  says  :  "  The  most  eminent  of  these, 
whether  we  consider  the  extent  of  his  fame  or  the  multiplicity  of 
his  labors,  was  Origen,  presbyter  and  catechist  of  Alexandria,  a  man 
of  vast  and  uncommon  abilities,  and  the  greatest  luminary  of  the 
Christian  world,  that  this  age  exhibited  to  view.  His  virtues  and 
his  labors  deserve  the  admiration  of  all  ages  ;  and  his  name  will 
be  transmitted  with  honor  through  the  annals  of  time  as  long  as 
learning  and  genius  shall  be  esteemed  among  men."  (Cent.  III. 
part  2,  chap  ii.  §  7.) 

Such  is  the  strong  and  eulogistic  language  which  our  historian 
employs  in  speaking  of  Origen.  And  he  tells  us  in  another  chapter, 
that  this  illustrious  man  maintained  and  taught  that  the  principal 
wisdom  of  God's  Word  lies  within  or  above  the  letter.  To  cite 
his  own  language  : 

**He  [Origen]  alleged,  that  the  words  of  Scripture  were,  in 
many  places,  absolutely  void  of  sense  ;  and  that,  though  in  others, 
there  were,  indeed,  certain  notions  conveyed  under  the  outward 
terms  according  to  their  literal  force  and  import,  yet  it  was  not  in 
these  that  the  true  meaning  of  the  sacred  writers  was  to  be  sought, 
but  in  a  mysterious  and  hidden  sense  arising  from  the  nature  of 
the  things  themselves.  This  hidden  sense  he  endeavors  to  investi- 
gate throughout  his  commentaries.''  (Cent.  III.  part  2,  chap.  iii. 
§5.)  And  in  the  next  section  of  the  same  chapter,  the  historian 
adds,  **  A  prodigious  nuniher  of  interpreters,  both  in  this  and  the 
succeeding  ages,  followed  the  method  of  Origen,  though  with  some 
variation." 

Bui  we  will  let  a  few  of  the  old  Fathers,  as  they  are  called,  speak 
for  themselves  on  this  subject. 

Cyril  of  Alexandria,  in  his  commentary  on  the  Pentateuch, 


]16 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


says  :  **  Our  exposition  will  be  useful,  if  we  first  consider  the  facts, 
as  they  really  took  place,  and  make  part  of  the  history  ;  and  hav- 
ing as  we  may,  completed  that  view,  if  we  then  new- mould  our 
statement,  passing  from  the  type  and  shadow,  to  the  clear  account 
of  the  inward  signification.*' —  T.  I.  C.  ed.  Auhert  Paris,  1638. 

Augustine  says:  ''Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  intended  that  those 
miracles  which  He  wrought  on  the  bodies  of  men,  should  also  be 
understood  spiritually/  ;  for  He  did  not  perform  miracles  for  the 
sake  of  miracles,  but  that  those  things  which  He  did  perform  might 
appear  wonderful  to  those  who  beheld  them,  and  true  to  those  who 
understood  them."  —  In  Serm.  98. 

Ignatius  says  :  **  The  law  of  God  is  spiritual,  and  they  have  not 
the  true  Law,  who  do  not  take  it  spiritually.'' — In  Psalm  118. 

Sect.  26. 

EucHERius  remarks,  upon  the  prophecy  concerning  the  Lord,  *  I 
will  open  my  mouth  in  parables,*  <fec.,  that  *'  it  admonishes  us  that 
the  Holy  Scripture  of  the  Old  as  well  as  the  New  Testament,  is  to 
be  interpreted  in  an  allegorical  sense." — In  Praef.  ad  Formam 
Spirit  intell. 

Jerome  says :  **  Whatsoever  is  promised  to  the  Israelites  carnally, 
we  show,  will,  at  one  time  or  another,  be  fulfilled  in  us  spiritually.'' — 
In  Praef.  Lib.  iv. 

Theophilus,  Bishop  of  Antioch,  commenting  upon  the  marriage 
in  Cana  of  Gallilee,  says  :  "By  this  marriage  the  conjunction  of 
Christ  and  his  church  is  to  be  understood.  Christ  is  the  Bride- 
groom, Moses  is  the  steward  (or  governor)  of  the  feast."  —  In 
Loc.  Johan. 

John,  Bishop  of  Jerusalem,  unfolding  the  spiritual  sense  of  our 
Lord's  glorification,  says  :  *'  He  who  follows  the  letter  of  the 
Scripture,  and  remains  exclusively  in  the  valley,  cannot  see  Jesus 
clothed  in  white  raiment  ;  but  he  who  follows  the  Word  of  God  up 
the  mountain,  i.  e.  he  who  ascends  the  sublime  sense  of  the  Law,  to 
him  Jesus  is  transfigured.  So  long  as  we  follow  the  obscurity  of 
the  letter,  Moses  and  Elias  do  not  talk  with  Jesus  ;  but  if  we 
understand  it  spiritually,  then  straightway  Moses  and  Elias,  i.  e. 
the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  come  and  converse  with  the  Gospel." — 
Homil.  32. 

Pamphilius,  speaking  of  the  evangelical  nariative  generally, 
remarks,:  "  Though  these  things  have  a  spiritual  meaning,  yet  the 
truth  of  the  history  being  first  established,  the  spiritual  sense  is  to 
be  taken  as  something  over  and  above.     For,  what  if  our  Lord,  in 


: 


existence  of  a  spiritual  sense. 


117 


a  spiritual  sense,  be  always  curing  the  blind,  when  He  casts  his 

light  on  minds  blinded  by  ignorance ;  yet  He  did  not  the  less  at 

that  time  heal  one  corporally  blind.  .  .  .  This,  therefore,  is  the  only 

sound  way  of  receiving  the  sense  of  Scripture."  —  Apol.  pro.  Orig. 
p.  36. 

Origen,  in  his  fifth  Homily  on  Leviticus,  after  asserting  that  the 
same  author  of  the  Law  and  the  Gospel,  is  the  Creator  alike  of  thino-s 
visible  and  invisible,  remarks:  *'As,  therefore,  a  mutual  afiinity 
exists  between  things  visible  and  invisible,  earth  and  heaven,  soul 
and  flesh,  body  and  spirit,  and  of  combinations  of  these  is  made 
up  this  present  world ;  so  also  Holy  Scripture,  we  may  believe,  is 
made  up  of  visible  and  invisible  parts ;  first,  as  it  were,  of  a  kind 
of  body,  i.  e.  of  the  letter  which  we  see  with  our  eyes  ;  next  of  a 
soul,  i.  e.  of  the  sense  which  is  discovered  within  that  letter  ;  thirdly 
of  a  spirit,  so  far  as  it  contains  also  in  itself  certain  heavenly  things  ; 
as  says  the  Apostle,  *  they  serve  to  the  example  and  shadow  of 
things  celestial."  '  —  §  1. 1.  IL  p.  205. 

"Such,"  says  the  Rev.  Mr.  Newman,  "had  been  the  line  of 
interpretation  which  the  Fathers  of  the  first  age,  by  a  kind  of  sacred 
instinct,  adopted  from  the  beginning  ;  and  in  no  other  did  those  of 
the  fourth  and  fifth  ages  acquiesce." 

From  these  extracts  it  may  be  seen  how  general  was  the  opinion 
among  the  early  Fathers,  that  the  Scripture  does  contain  some  other 
sense  besides  that  of  the  mere  letter.  That  these  men  were  not 
able  to  develope  the  internal  sense  in  any  very  consistent  and 
orderly  manner,  is  readily  conceded.  Being  unacquainted  with  the 
science  of  correspondences,  there  was,  as  might  have  been  expected, 
but  little  method,  uniformity  or  agreement  among  them,  in  their 
manner  of  eliciting  the  spirtual  sense.  And,  (as  we  should  sup- 
pose would  be  the  case  when  the  imagination  is  left  to  wander  at 
will  without  the  restraining  and  guiding  influence  of  some  estab- 
lished principle,)  they  sometimes  extracted  from  the  Word  a 
meaning  not  less  fanciful  and  puerile,  than  it  was  unauthorized  and 
false.  And  it  is,  probably,  the  danger  apprehended  by  modern 
commentators,  in  opening  such  a  field  for  the  fancy  to  play  in,  that 
has  led  them  to  adopt  the  doctrine  now  most  prevalent,  that  the 
Scripture  contains  but  one  sense,  and  this  the  plain  and  obvious 
sense. 

But  the  danger  that  is  apprehended  in  admitting  an  internal 
sense  is  entirely  removed,  when  we  are  once  in  possession  of  the 
right  rule  for  unfolding  this  sense.     There  is  then  as  little  danger 


118 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


that  tlie  imagination  will  run  riot  in  respect  to  the  Scripture,  as 
there  is  that  it  will  run  riot  in  respect  to  the  solar  system,  when 
we  understand  the  science  of  mathematics,  with  all  that  Corpernicus 
has  taut^ht  and  Newton  demonstrated.  There  is  nothincr  that  curbs 
a  wayward  fancy  like  the  fixed  and  well-defined  bounds  of  truth. 
It  is  where  no  law  is  seen  or  believed  to  exist  —  where  all  is  vague 
and  uncertain  —  that  imagination  loves  to  rove. 

Let  it  be  observed  here,  that  in  what  I  have  said  thus  far,  it  has 
not  been  my  design  to  prove  that  the  Scripture  does  contain  a 
spiritual  sense  ;  but  simply  to  show  what  opinion  has  been  enter- 
tained upon  this  subject,  by  some  of  the  most  illustrious  men  of  the 
first  Christian  Church.  And  from  what  has  been  shown,  (and  vol- 
umes of  a  similar  character  might  be  adduced,)  I  think  it  will  be 
admitted  that  the  notions  upon  this  subject  have  been  just  about  as 
general,  diverse,  vague,  and  indefinite,  as  might  have  been  expected, 
upon  the  supposition  that  there  does  exist  an  internal  sense,  the 
precise  nature  of  which,  however,  could  not  be  known  until  it  was 
revealed. 

Let  us  proceed  next  to  consider  some  testimony  in  proof  of  the 
existence  of  an  internal  sense  —  testimony  which  few  will  be  dis- 
posed to  call  in  question.  First,  let  us  hear  what  the  Apostles  have 
to  say  on  the  subject. 

In  the  second  chapter  of  the  Acts,  wherein  are  recorded  some 
things  which  took  place  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  there  was 
such  a  powerful  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  it  is  recorded  of  Peter, 
that  he  stood  up  and  thus  spake  before  the  people  present  on  that 
memorable  occasion :  **  Ye  men  of  Judea,  and  all  ye  that  dwell  at 
Jerusal(?m,  be  this  known  unto  you,  and  hearken  to  my  words :  for 
these  are  not  drunken,  as  ye  suppose,  seeing  it  is  but  the  third  hour 
of  the  day.  Bid  this  is  that  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet  Joel: 
And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  saith  God,  I  will  pour 
out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh  :  and  your  sons  and  your  danghters 
shall  propliecy,  and  your  young  men  shall  see  visions,  and  your  old 
men  shall  dream  dreams.  And  I  will  show  wonders  in  heaven 
above,  and  signs  in  the  earth  beneath  ;  blood  and  fire  and  vapor 
of  smoke  ;  the  sun  shall  be  turned  into  darkness  and  the  moon  into 
blood,  before  that  great  and  notable  day  of  the  Lord  come." 

Now  it  is  evident  that  the  Apostle  believed  this  prophecy  to  con- 
tain a  spiritual  sense  ;  for  he  declares  that  what  had  just  happened 
was  the  very  thing  foretold  by  the  prophet.  And  it  nowhere 
appears   from  the  record,  that  all  the   things  mentioned  in  the 


EXISTENCE    OF    A    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


119 


prophecy  took  place  according  to  the  sense  of  the  letter.  Certainly 
we  may  affirm  with  much  confidence,  that  the  moon  was  not 
literally  turned  into  blood. 

Again:  the  same  Apostle,  in  his  first  epistle  (iii.  20,  21),  after 
mentioning  Noah's  ark,  ''  wherein  few,  i.  e.,  eight  souls  were  saved 
by  water,"  adds  :  "  The  same  figure  whereunto  even  baptism  doth 
now  also  save  us  (not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh, 
but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God),  by  the  resur- 
rection of  Jesus  Christ."  Here  the  Apostle  not  only  gives  to  bap- 
tism a  spiritual  import,  plainly  understanding  it  to  signify  spiritual 
purification,  but  he  also  understands  the  waters  of  the  flood  men- 
tioned in  the  Old  Testament  to  be  the  figure  of  something  spiritual, 
as  manifestly  appears  from  his  saying  that  haptii^m  is  a  like  figure. 
He  considers  what  is  said  about  the  ark  and  the  flood  as  fii/ura- 
tive  ;  and  the  saving  of  eight  souls,  as  denoting  something  similar 
to  what  is  signified  by  baptism,  viz.,  spiritual  washing  and  purifica- 
tion, or  the  saving  of  man's  soul  from  the  falses  and  evils  of  hell. 
In  his  second  epistle  this  Apostle  declares  "  that  no  prophecy  of 
the  Scripture  is  of  any  private  interpretation."  (i.  20.)  Now  any 
interpretation  of  the  Word,  or  of  any  part  of  it,  which  confines  its 
meaning  to  the  particular  time,  place,  person,  or  thing  spoken  ot 
in  the  literal  sense,  is  obviously  a  private  interpretation.  But  the 
Spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  is  not  confined  to  particular  times, 
places,  or  persons,  but  is  of  imiversal  application.  Such  an  inter- 
pretation, therefore,  as  developes  this  universal  sense,  is  not  private, 
and  hence  must  be  the  true  interpretation  of  all  Scripture.  It  is 
plain,  therefore,  that  Peter  believed  and  intended  to  teach  the  ex- 
istence of  a  spiritual  sense  throughout  all  the  Sacred  Scripture ; 
and  that  Scripture  is  rightly  interpreted,  only  when  this  spiritual  or 
universal  sense  is  unfolded. 

The  testimony  of  Paul  to  the  existence  of  a  spiritual  sense  is 
still  more  copious  and  conclusive.  In  his  second  letter  to  the 
Corinthians,  he  says  :  ''  That  we  are  not  sufficient  of  ourselves  to 
think  anything  as  of  ourselves,  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God  ;  who 
also  hath  made  us  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament :  not  of  the 
letter,  but  of  the  spirit;  for  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth 
life,  (iii.  b,^.) 

From  this  it  appears  that  Paul  believed,  not  only  that  there  is 
some  other  sense  to  the  New  Testament  besides  that  of  the  letter, 
but  that  the  spiritual  sense  is  its  very  life  and  soul.     He  plainly 


120 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


teaches  that  the  literal,  separate  from  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word,  hath  no  hfe,  nor  the  power  to  impart  hfe. 

Again :  in  his  epistle  to  the  Romans,  the  same  Apostle  says  : 
"  For  he  is  not  a  Jew  who  is  one  outwardly;  neither  is  that  cir- 
cumcision which  is  outward  in  the  flesh  :  but  he  is  a  Jew  who  is 
one  inwardly ;  and  circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit, 
and  not  in  the  letter;  whose  praise  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God  '' 
(ii.  28,  29.) 

Here  it  is  declared  that  the  rite  of  circumcision  is  of  the  heart ; 
and  moreover  that  he  who  receives  this  spiritual  circumcision,' 
thereby  becomes  a  Jew  inwardly.  Whence  it  is  manifest  that  the 
Apostle  understands  the  term  Jew  as  having  a  spiritual  significa- 
tion, and  as  denoting  not  one  of  the  natural  descendants  of^'judah 
merely,  or  an  inhabitant  of  the  land  of  Judea,  but  any  member  of 
the  Lord's  true  church,  whenever  or  wherever  he  may  be  found. 
Therefore  to  be  a  Jew  inwardly,  or  in  the  spiritual  and  good  sense' 
IS  to  be  circumcised  in  heart ;  that  is,  to  be  purified  from  the  evil 
loves  of  the  natural  man. 

In  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  Paul  says  again:  "For  it  is 
written  that  Abraham  had  two  sons  ;  the  one  by  a  bondmaid,  the 
other  by  a  free  woman.  But  he  of  the  bondwoman  was  born  af- 
ter the  flesh  ;  but  he  of  the  free  woman  by  promise.  Which 
things  are  an  allegory ;  for  these  are  the  two  covenants ;  the  one 
from  the  Mount  Sinai,  which  gendereth  to  bondage,  which  is  Ao-ar 
For  this  Agar  is  Mount  Sinai  in  Arabia,  and  answereth  to  Jerusa- 
lem which  now  is,  and  is  in  bondage  with  her  children.  But 
Jerusalem  which  is  above  is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us  all  " 
(iv.  22—27.) 

From  this  passage  it  is  evident  that  the  Apostle  understood  the 
historical  parts  of  the  Old  Testament  to  contain  a  spiritual  sense 
For,  referring  here  to  a  piece  of  plain  history,  he  declares  it  to  be 
an  allegory,  which  signifies  that  the  principal  or  most  important 
thmg  contamed  in  the  history  is  not  that  which  appears  in  tlie 
sense  of  the  letter.  This  must  be  inferred  from  the  common  accep- 
tation of  the  term  allegory.  Besides,  the  Apostle  declares  that 
the  two  sons  of  Abraham  are  the  two  covenants.  It  is  evident  that 
they  are  not  the  two  covenants  in  the  literal  but  in  the  spiritual 
sense  ;  i.e.,  they  are  the  types  and  representatives  of  both  the 
Jewish  and  Christian  dispensations,  or  of  any  two  dispensations 
similarly  related.  Moreover,  the  Apostle  here  gives  to  Jerusalem 
a  spiritual  signification,  evidently  understanding  it  to  denote  the 


EXISTENCE    OF    A   SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


121 


Church,  which,  according  to  Swedenborg,  is  its  spiritual  meaning  ; 
for  he  says  ''the  Jerusalem  which  now  is"  — i.  e.,  the  Jewish 
Church— *'  is  in  bondage  with  her  children.  But  Jerusalem  which 
is  above"  — i.e.,  the  Christian  Church,  whose  principles  were 
then  descending  from  above  — ''  is  free,  which  is  the  mother  of  us 
all."  This  Jerusalem  is  here  called  by  the  Apostle  "the  mother 
of  us  all,"  because  the  Church,  being  "the  Bride,  the  Lamb's 
wife,"  is  the  spiritual  mother  of  all  who  become  the  children  of 
God.  It  is  said  to  be  free,  because  "  where  the  spirit  of  the  Lord 
is,  there  is  liberty."  "  If  the  Son  shall  make  you  free,  ye  shall 
be  free  indeed." 

Take  one  other  passage  from  the  writings  of  this  Apostle.  In 
his  first  letter  to  the  Corinthians,  speaking  of  the  children  of  Israel 
and  their  journey  through  the  wilderness,  he  says :  «  Moreover, 
brethren,  I  would  not  that  ye  should  be  ignorant,  how  that  all  our 
fathers  were  under  the  cloud,  and  all  passed  through  the  sea ;  and 
were  all  baptized  unto  Moses  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea ;  and  did 
all  eat  the  sam£  spiritual  meat;  and  did  all  drink  the  same  spiritua. 
dnnk  ;  for  they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Bock  that  followed  them  , 
and  that  Rock  was  Christ,"  (x.  1,  5.) 

In  these  words  the  Apostle  plainly  teaches  that  the  manna  and 
quails  given  to  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  desert,  and  the  water 
that  gushed  from  the  rock  in  Horeb,  are  symbols  of  that  spiritual 
meat  and  drink,  wherewith  the  Lord  feeds  the  souls  of  all  who 
hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness  ;  and  who  are,  therefore,  his 
spiritual  Israel,  journeying  toward  the  spiritual  Canaan.  He 
teaches  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  spiritual  meat,  and  s^nritual 
drink,  and  a  spiritual  rock  ;  consequently  that  these  words  have  a 
spiritual  as  well  as  a  natural  meaning.  And  that  the  rock  from 
which  the  water  flowed  in  Horeb,  was  understood  by  the  Apostle 
to  symbolize  the  Rock  of  Ages— the  Eternal  Word— the  Fountain  of 
hving  water  — is  evident  from  his  saying,  ''and  that  Bock  was 
Christ.'' 

Further  testimony  of  a  like  character  might  be  adduced  from 
the  apostolic  writings ;  but  we  pass  it  by,  with  the  full  assurance 
that  the  passages  already  cited  are  suflScient  to  establish  the  fact, 
that  the  Apostles  were  in  the  acknowledgment  of  an  internal  sense 
to  the  Word  — even  to  those  parts,  which,  in  the  literal  sense,  con- 
tain a  plain  and  simple  narrative  of  facts. 

If  we  turn  now  to  the  Old  Testament  Scripture,  we  shall  there 

find  many  intimations  of  an  internal  sense.     For  example,  it  is 
11  ^ 


122 


THE   SACRED   SCRIPTURE. 


said  [Ex.  xxviii.  38]  that  the  diadem  or  plate  of  gold  worn  on  cer- 
tain solemn  festivals  upon  the  forehead  of  the  high  priest,  signified 
that  he  bore  (i.  e.,  representatively,  or  in  a  typical  manner)  the 
sin  of  the  holy  things,  and  made  an  atonement  for  the  imperfec- 
tion of  the  Hebrew  offerings  and  sacrifices.  So  also  in  Deuterono- 
my (xxx.  6)  the  spiritual  import  of  the  rite  of  circumcision  plainly 
appears  in  these  words  :  "And  Jehovah  thy  God  will  circumcise 
thy  heart,  and  the  heart  of  thy  seed,  to  love  Jehovah  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  that  thou  mayest  live." 
And  again  in  Jeremiah  (iv.  4)  :  '*  Circumcise  yourselves  to  Jeho- 
vah, and  take  away  the  foreskins  of  your  heart,  ye  men  of  Judah 
and  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  ;  lest  my  fury  come  forth  like  fire, 
and  burn  that  none  can  quench  it,  because  of  the  evil  of  your  do- 
mgs.''  Whence  it  appears  that  there  is  a  spiritual  as  well  as  a 
natural  meaning  to  circumcision ;  a  circumcision  of  the  heart  or 
mind,  as  well  as  of  the  body. 

Again :  if  there  be  no  internal  sense  to  the  Word,  what  are  we 
to  understand  by  that  prayer  of  the  Psalmist,  "  Open  thou  mine 
eyes,  that  I  may  behold  the  wondrous  things  of  thy  law."  (cxix 
18.)  Certainly  no  one  can  suppose  that  the  Psalmist  is  here  pray 
ing  that  his  natural  eyes  may  be  opened,  but  the  eyes  of  his  mind. 
He  evidently  means,  by  these  words,  to  ask  that  his  understanding 
may  be  so  illuminated  by  the  Lord,  that  he  shall  be  able  to  under- 
stand the  wondrous  things  contained  in  the  internal  sense  of  the 
Word.  Eyes,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  denote  the  understanding  ;  for 
the  understanding  receives  and  is  affected  by  spiritual  light,  which 
is  truth,  as  the  eyes  receive  and  are  aflfected  by  natural  light.  And 
if,  (agreeably  to  the  opinion  of  most  modem  commentators)  there 
be  no  other  meaning  to  the  Word  than  its  obvious  and  literal  sense, 
why  should  the  Psalmist  pray  that  his  eyes  might  be  opened,  or 
his  understanding  illuminated,  to  enable  him  to  discern  the  won- 
drous things  of  the  law  ?  Surely  he  might  have  understood  the 
law  in  its  obvious  and  literal  sense,  without  any  peculiar  illumination. 
And  what  can  be  meant  by  the  wondrous  things  of  the  law,  unless 
it  be  those  illimitable  treasures  of  sacred  wisdom  which  are  stored 
up  within  the  letter  of  the  Word,  and  which  do  not  immediately 
appear,  unless  the  eyes  be  opened,  or  the  understanding  be  illu- 
minated to  receive  them  ? 

Again:  it  is  written  in  Psalms  (Ixxviii.  1,  2):  "  Give  ear,  0 
my  people,  to  my  law  :  incline  your  ear  to  the  words  of  my  mouth. 
1  will  open  my  mouth  in  a  parable ;  I  will  utter  dark  sayings  of 


EXISTENCE    OF    A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


123 


old."  These  words  would  naturally  lead  us  to  expect  that  the 
Psalmist  was  about  to  speak  in  symbolic  language,  or  to  clothe  his 
thoughts  in  such  imagery,  that  they  would  not  be  readily  compre- 
hended ;  consequently,  that  they  would  be  obscure, —  dark  sayings. 
But  what  do  we  find  immediately  succeeding  this  solemn  announce- 
ment ?  Nothing  but  a  plain,  brief,  and  simple  narrative  of  what 
the  Lord  did  to  the  children  of  Israel  from  the  time  of  their  de- 
parture out  of  Egypt,  to  the  reign  of  David.  Indeed  we  cannot 
conceive  of  a  more  naked  and  unvarnished  statement  of  facts  — 
facts,  too,  which  must  have  been  well  known  at  the  time  —  than 
we  find  throughout  the  whole  of  this  chapter.  In  its  literal  sense, 
it  contains  a  portion  of  plain  and  well  known  history ;  and  there  is 
not  the  slightest  appearance  of  anything  obscure,  or  difficult  to  be 
understood.  Yet  in  the  second  verse  it  is  denominated  a  parable, 
and  dark  sayings.  Certainly  if  there  be  no  other  than  a  literal 
sense  to  this  historical  narration,  it  could  not  be  called  a  parable, 
as  we  shall  see  by  and  by  from  the  explanation  of  a  parable  given 
by  the  Lord  himself ;  neither  could  it  be  called  dark  sayings,  be- 
cause in  the  sense  of  the  letter  it  is  perfectly  plain. 

Here  then  we  have  as  strong  evidence  as  one  could  reasonably 
ask,  that  the  whole  of  this  Psalm,  and  consequently  the  whole  re- 
corded history  of  the  Jewish  people,  contains  an  internal  sense. 
And  it  is  fair  to  conclude  that  the  same  is  true  of  the  prophetical 
and  othir  portions  of  the  Word,  the  whole  of  which,  we  may  pre- 
sume, is  composed  upon  some  fixed  and  uniform  plan. 

We  pass,  finally,  to  consider  evidence  upon  this  subject  which  is 
of  the  highest  authority,  and  more  conclusive,  perhaps,  because 
more  explicit,  than  any  yet  adduced  —  the  testimony  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  himself. 

In  the  gospel  according  to  Matthew,  this  infallible  Witness  says : 
**  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the  law  or  the  prophets  ;  I 
am  not  come  to  destroy  but  to  fulfill.  For  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
till  heaven  and  earth  pass,  one  iota  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass 
from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled."  (v.  17,  18.)  Now  it  is  manifest 
that  this  declaration  cannot  be  true,  unless  the  Word  contain  an 
internal  sense.  For  we  know  that  many  things  of  the  law,  in  its  lit- 
eral sense — many  of  the  rites  and  ceremonies  enjoined  upon  the  Jew- 
ish Church  —  were  abolished  on  the  establishment  of  Christianity. 
And  we  also  know,  that,  not  only  was  there  no  injunction  on  Chris- 
tians to  observe  the  ceremonial  law,  but  that  even  the  power  to  do 


\u 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


SO  in  all  particulars,  was  taken  away  from  them  when  their  city 
and  temple  were  destroyed. 

Moreover,  the  Lord  has  fully  illustrated  the  meaning  of  these 
words  in  the  very  chapter  from  which  they  are  taken.     For  He 
therein  teaches  that  the  precept  which  forbids  murder,  does  also, 
whenrightlyunderstood,  forbid  anger  or  hatred  toward  a  brother; 
for  this  is  the  cause,  and  consequently  the  internal  or  essence,  of 
all  murder,  (v,  22.)     He  teaches  that  the  precept  which  forbids 
adultery,  extends  even  to  the  thoughts  and  attections  of  man,  and 
condemns  all   internal  unchastity.  (v.  28.)     He  teaches  that  the 
precept  which  condemns  false  swearing,  does  also  condemn  swear- 
ing of  all  kinds  ;  and  declares  that  whatever  is  more  than  yea,  yea, 
nay,  nay,  cometh  of  evil.  (v.  37.)     Thus  the  Lord  has  shown  us,' 
in  these  and  other  similar  examples,  what  He  means  h^  fulfilling  the 
law,  or  filling  it  full  (for  this  is  the  true  meaning  of  the  original 
word  ?tx>7pwcrac   [plerosai}  here  employed).     He  evidently  means 
that  He  had  come  to  show  the  real  substance,  of  which  the  out- 
ward ceremonial  law  was  but  the  shadow  —  to  show  the  divine  full- 
ness of  the  precepts  of  the  Word,  and  thus  to  fill  the  letter  full 
with  spirit  and  Avith  life  ;  so  that  all  who  would  be  of  that  heavenly 
kingdom  which    He  had  come  to  establish,  must  attend  to  their 
inward  motives  not  less  than  their  outward  actions  — must  let  their 
righteousness  be  of  the  heart  and  the  spirit,  and  thus  exceed  the 
righteousness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  whose  aim  wa*  merely 
to  cleanse  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  the  platter.     It  is  plain,  there- 
fore, that  the  Lord  teaches  in  this  chapter  the  existence  of  an  in- 
ternal or  spiritual  sense  to  the  law. 

Again  :  it  is  known  to  all  familiar  with  the  New  Testament,  that 
our  Saviour  generally  tauglit  by  parables.  In  Matthew  xiii.  34,  it 
is  said  :  "All  these  things  spake  Jesus  unto  the  multitude  in  para- 
bles ;  arid  loithout  a  jmrahle  spoke  He  not  unto  themr  The  same 
thing  is  also  declared  in  Mark  iv.  33,  34  :  '^And  with  many  such 
parables  spake  He  the  Word  unto  them,  as  they  were  able  to  hear 
it.  But  without  a  parable  spake  He  not  unto  them  ;  and  when  thev 
were  alone,  He  expounded  all  things  unto  His  disciples.*' 

Now  the  true  meaning  of  a  p)arahle,  is,  any  spiritual  truth  clothed 
m  proper  natural  habiliments  —  in  appropriate  imagery  drawn 
from  the  natural  world.  When  natural  objects  and  events  are  so 
selected  and  arranged  as  to  form  suitable  vessels  for  containing  di- 
vine and  spiritual  things,  and  thus  to  become  a  medium  of  trans- 
mitting these  to  the  minds  of  men,  then  we  have  what,  in  Scripture 


EXISTENCE    OF   A    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


126 


phraseology,  is  denominated  a  parable.     Any  one   may  convince 
himself  that  such  is  the  true  meaning  of  the  term,  by  an  attentive 
examination  of  some  of  the  parables,  in  connection  with  the  con- 
text :  as,  for  example,  the  parable  of  the   grain  of  mustard  seed  • 
of  the  trea^sure  hid  in  the  field  ;   of  the   net  cast  into  the  sea  j 
of  the  householder  who  sent  forth  laborers  into  his  vineyard  ;  of 
the  marriage  feast ;  of  the  ten  virgins,  and  of  the  talents  ;  for  all 
these  and    other   parables    also,  are  declared  to  be  representative 
images  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     They  are  said  to  be  what  the 
kmgdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto.     And  if  we  reiflect  that  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  not  external  but  internal  —  not  natural  but  spir- 
itual—as the  Lord  has  Himself  declared,  "My  kingdom  is  not  of 
this  world  ;'*  and  again:  -  Behold,  the  kingdom  of'^God  is  within 
you  "—we  may  see  that  this  kingdom  is  one  which  belongs  to  the 
mind  or  spirit  of  man  ;  one  whose  government  is  of  love  according  to 
truth  ;  and  hence  that  love  and  wisdom,  or  goodness  and  truth 
from   the   Lord,  are  the  essentials  of  this  kingdom.     Therefore  it 
must   be  something   of  these  spiritual  and  essential  principles  of 
heaven,  which  is  contained  within  the  literal  sense  of  the  parables, 
and  which  constitutes  their  hfe  and  soul.     It  is  on  account  of  the' 
internal   meaning  of  the  parables,  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
said  to  be  like  unto  such  things  as  are  mentioned  in  the  Word. 

Moreover,  wherever  the  Lord  has   explained  the  meaning  of  a 
parable,  as  that  of  the  sower,  for  example,  and  that  of  the  tares  and 
the  ivheat,  we  find  that  all  the  natural  objects  therein  mentioned,  are 
made  to  signify  something  spiritual ;  and  thus  the  parable  is  seen 
to  have  a  spiritual  sense.     Thus  in  his  explanation  of  the  parable 
of  the  sower.  He  says  :   "When  any  one  heareth  the  Word  of  the 
kingdom,  and  understandeth  it  not,  then  cometh  the  wicked  [one], 
and  catcheth  away  that  which  was  sown  in  his  heart.     This  is  he 
which  receiveth  seed  by  the  wayside.     But  he  that  received  seed 
into  stony  places,  the  same  is  he  that  heareth  the  Word,  and  anon 
with  joy  receiveth  it:  yet  hath  he  not  root  in  himself,  but  dureth 
for  a  while  ;    for  when   tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  because 
of  the  Word,  by  and  by  he  is  offended.     He  also   tliat  received 
seed  among  the  thorns,  is  he  that  heareth  the  Word  ;  and  the  care 
of  this  world  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches  choke  the  Word,  and 
he    becometh    imfruitful.     But   he  that  received    seed    into  the 
good   ground,  is  he   that  heareth  the  Word,  and  understandeth  ; 
which  also  beareth  fruit,  and  bringeth  forth,  some  an  hundred  fold, 
some  sixty,  some  thirty.'*  (Matt.  xiii.  19— -23.) 


126 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


EXISTENCE    OF   A    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


127 


Here  we  see  that  the  Lord  makes  the  seed,  mentioned  in  the 
parable,  signify  the  word  of  the  kingdom,  i.  e.,  the  ti'uths  of  heaven 
and  the  church ;  the  wayside,  the  stony  and  thorny  places,  and 
also  the  good  ground  upon  which  this  seed  falls,  signify,  according 
to  this  explanation,  the  different  mental  states  of  persons  to  whom 
heavenly  truths  are  taught ;  and  the  fowls,  the  sun,  and  the  thorns, 
denote  the  false  persuasions  and  evil  loves  of  the  natural  man, 
which  destroy  in  various  ways  —  signified  by  devouring,  parching, 
and  choking  —  the  principles  of  heaven  or  **  the  Word  of  the  king- 
dom," before  it  has  become  appropriated  to  life.  Thus  we  per- 
ceive, that,  in  the  Lord's  explanation  of  this  parable,  a  spiritual 
signification  is  given  to  each  of  the  natural  objects  herein  men- 
tioned. 

Again :  in  explaining  the  parable  of  the  tares  and  the  wheat, 
He  says :  **  He  that  soweth  the  good  seed  is  the  Son  of  Man,"  i.  e. 
the  Lord,  who  is  the  Divine  Being,  and  from  whom  proceedeth 
all  divine  truth.  "  The  field  is  the  world,"  i.  e.,  all  human  beings 
to  whom  truths  are  taught :  *•  the  good  seed  are  the  children  of  the 
kingdom,"  i.  e.,  the  good  principles  which  proceed  from  and  are  the 
offspring  of  heaven  :  *'  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of  the  wick- 
ed [one],"  i.  e.y  the  evil  principles  which  proceed  from  and  are  the 
offspring  of  hell :  "  the  enemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  devil,"  i.  e., 
hell,  or  all  evil  spirits  in  one  complex  :  **  the  harvest  is  the  con- 
summation of  the  age,"  i.  e.,  the  full  and  final  state  of  the  church, 
and  of  every  individual :  '*  and  the  reapers  are  the  angels,"  i.  e., 
divine  truths,  which,  as  heavenly  messengers,  separate  the  tares 
from  the  wheat  in  every  mind,  or  the  false  principles  from  the 
true,  and  the  evil  from  the  good. 

Here,  again,  we  find  a  spiritual  meaning  given  by  the  Lord  to 
each  of  the  natural  things  mentioned  in  the  parable.  Now  if  ah 
the  Lord's  parables  have  a  spiritual  sense,  and  if  the  Holy  Word 
be  indeed  the  Word  of  the  Lord,  and  if  it  be  true  that  He  spake 
oil  things  in  parohles^  and  without  a  parable  spake  He  not^  then  it 
follows  of  necessity  that  the  Word  must  have  a  spiritual  sense 
throunfhout. 

But  there  are  other  passages  in  which  the  Lord  teaches  the  ex- 
istence of  a  spiritual  sense  in  the  Scripture,  in  a  manner  still  more 
explicit.  We  are  informed  (Luke  xxiv.)  that  after  His  resurrection, 
He  appeared  to  two  of  the  disciples  as  they  were  journeying  to- 
ward Emmaus,  *'  and  beginning  at  Moses  and  all  the  prophets, 
He  expounded  unto  them  in  all  the  Scriptures  the  things  concern 


ing  Himself."  And  when  He  had  *'  vanished  out  of  their  sight," 
*'they  said  one  to  another.  Did  not  our  hearts  burn  within  us, 
while  He  talked  with  us  by  the  way,  and  while  He  opened  to  us  the 
Scriptures  r'  (v.  32.)  And  when  He  appeared  to  them  again, 
''  He  said  unto  them,  These  are  the  words  which  I  spake  unto  you 
while  I  was  yet  with  you,  that  all  things  must  be  fulfilled  which 
were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  the 
Psalms,  concerning  me."  And  it  is  added,  '*Then  opened  He  their 
understanding,  that  they  might  understand  the  Scriptures.''  {v.  44.  45.) 
Now  what  can  be  more  demonstrative  than  this,  in  proof  of  the 
existence  of  an  internal  sense  ?  For  it  is  clearly  implied  by  these 
words  of  our  Lord,  that  the  Scriptures  contain  a  meaning  which 
cannot  be  discerned  unless  the  understanding  be  opened  to  perceive 
it.  And  if  there  be  but  one  meaning  to  Scripture,  and  this  its  ob- 
vious and  literal  meaning,  what  idea  can  possibly  be  attached  to 
these  passages,  which  speak  of  the  Lord's  opening  the  Scriptures  to 
His  disciples,  and  of  His  opening  their  understanding,  that  they  might 
understand  the  Scriptures  ?  If  there  were  no  interior  sense  to  the 
Sacred  Oracles — no  meaning  but  what  is  manifest  on  the  surface, 
woidd  the  Lord  speak,  as  He  has  here  spoken,  of  opening  them  ? 

Let  one  other  text  be  cited  in  confirmation  of  our  position,  that 
the  existence  of  an  internal  sense  is  actually  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
ture itself ;  and  then  I  will  leave  the  subject  for  the  reflection  and 
further  examination  of  all  unfettered  minds,  who,  in  humility  and 
sincerity,  are  earnestly  seeking  the  truth. 

It  is  recorded  of  our  Lord,  that  He  declared  to  the  Jews  on  one 
occasion,  **I  am  the  living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven. 
U  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever  :  and  the  bread 
that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the 
world."     (John  vi.  61.)    And  when  the  Jews  ''  strove  among  them- 
selves, saying,  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ?     Then 
Jesus  said  unto  them,  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  ye  eat 
the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in 
you.   Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal 
life  ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day.    For  my  flesh  is  meat 
indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed."    {v.  52,  53,  54.)     And  we 
are  told  that  *'  many  of  his  disciples,  when  they  heard  this,  said. 
This  is  an  hard  saying  ;  who  can  hear  it  ?  "    Then  the  Lord  adds, 
by  way  of  explanation,  "It  is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth  ;  the Jlesh 
profiteth  nothing  ;  the  words  that  I  speak  unto  you  are  spirit  and  are 
life,''     (v.  63.) 


if 


I 


128 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


Now,  can  it  be  by  virtue  of  their  literal  sense  alone,  that  the 
Lord  here  declares  his  words  to  be  spirit  and  life  ?  Does  He  not 
say  "It  is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth  ? '*  And  this  agrees  with 
what  the  Apostle  saith,  **  The  letter  killeth,  but  the  spirit  giveth 
life."  And  are  we  not  plainly  taught  in  the  passage  just  cited, 
that  it  is  the  literal  sense  —  the  outward,  corporeal  part  —  the  mere 
Jlesk  of  the  Divine  Word,  at  which  men  stumble  and  take  offense  ? 
And  that,  if  we  desire  to  know  what  that  livinc/  bread  is,  which 
cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  of  which,  whoso  eateth  shall  live 
forever,  we  must  look  within  the  outward  covering  or  ** flesh  "  of 
the  Word,  (which  alone  doth  not  profit)  to  those  pure  and  heavenly 
principles  which  are  *'  spirit  and  life  ;  **  and  with  which,  by  the 
light  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  the  Sacred  Scripture  is  seen  to  be 
evervwhere  filled. 

Thus  far,  then,  we  have  arrived  in  our  argument.  —  In  the  last 
lecture  it  was  my  aim  to  show,  from  the  character  of  many  parts 
of  the  Sacred  Scripture,  the  necessity  of  either  admitting  a  spiritual 
sense,  or  of  rejecting  the  Bible  as  the  Word  of  God  —  a  dread 
alternative  indeed  !  —  yet  one  on  whose  fearful  brink  multitudes  are 
even  now  standing.  And  in  this  lecture  I  have  endeavored  to  prove 
from  the  united  testimony  of  the  Apostles,  of  Moses,  of  the  Psalms 
and  the  Prophets,  and  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  that  there 
actually  is  a  spiritual  sense  in  the  written  Word. 

As  a  piece  of  corroborative  evidence  it  has  also  been  shown,  that, 
here  and  there  along  the  horizon  of  the  first  Christian  Church,  the 
light  of  the  spiritual  sense  has  streamed  through  the  clouds,  and 
bathed  the  lofty  mountain-tops  with  its  resplendent  brightness.  If 
has  been  shown  that  some  of  the  most  distinguished  luminaries  in 
that  Church  have  believed  and  taught,  that  the  chief  wisdom  of 
God's  Word  lies  within  and  above  the  sense  of  the  letter. 

It  remains  to  exhibit,  as  I  shall  endeavor  to  do  in  succeeding  lec- 
tures, something  of  the  nature  of  the  spiritual  sense,  and  the 
principle  according  to  which  this  sense  is  to  be  unfolded.  And  let 
it  here  be  remarked,  that  the  method  by  which  we  arrive  at  the 
spiritual  sense,  is  not  the  cunning  device  of  a  man  ;  neither  is  it  fan- 
ciful, conjectural,  or  ingenious,  as  many  suppose  ;  but  it  is  a  matter 
of  special  divine  revelation,  and  is  of  a  nature  so  rational,  orderly, 
and  beautiful,  that  enhghtened  reason  acknowledges  it  to  be  consist- 
ent with  itself,  with  true  science,  and  with  all  that  is  known  of  the 
beauty,  economy,  wisdom,  and  perfection  of  God. 


EXISTENCE    OF    A    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


129 


Human  ingenuity  has  spent  all  its  force  in  vain  attempts  to 
invent  a  key  by  which  to  unlock  the  Divine  Oracles.     The  Church 
has  struggled  long  and  hard  to  find  her  way  back  to  the  garden  of 
Eden,  bi/  the  dim  li/jht  of  her  ow7i  intelligence.     But  this  has  not 
been  permitted.     Evermore  at  the  entrance  of  the  garden,  are 
seated  cherubim  with  a  flaming  sword,  turning  every  way  to  keep 
the  way  of  the  Tree  of  Life.    And  in  these  latter  times  the  Church 
has  fallen  into  such  an  external  and  sensual  state  —  has  become  so 
lost  to  genuine  love  and  charity  —  has  wandered  so  far  away  from 
her  Father's  house,  that  she  would  fain  fill  herself  with  the  husks 
which  the  swine  do  eat.     Nay,  more  :  with  her  various,  conflicting, 
and  blind  conjectures  concerning  the  meaning  of  the  Sacred  Vot- 
ume,  multiplying  her  commentaries  and  swelling  her  libraries  with 
confirmations  of  the  mere  appearances  of  truth,  she  has  torn  the 
letter  of  the  Word  all  to  shreds,  and  has  come  to  regard  its  spiritual 
sense  as  of  no  account,  and  even  as  having  no  existence  ;  thus, 
spiritually,  fulfilling  these  words  of  the  Lord,  ''  They  parted  my 
garments  among  them,  and  upon  my  vesture  did  they  cast  lots." 

Yes  :  human  ingenuity  has  gone  as  far  as  it  can  go,  in  its  en- 
deavors to  interpret  aright  the  Word  of  God.  It  has  done  all  that 
it  can  do,  to  give  us  a  consistent  and  rational  theory  concerning  the 
inspired  Volume.  But  this  Book,  ''  written  within  and  on  the  back 
side,  and  sealed  with  seven  seals,"  —  this  Book,  which  *'no  man  in 
heaven,  nor  in  earth,  neither  under  the  earth,  has  been  able  to 
open,"  —this  Book,  '*  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  has  prevailed 
to  open,  and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof."  Let,  therefore,  the 
power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and 
glory,  and  blessing,  be  ascribed  "  to  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,"  who 
alone  is  worthy  of  such  homao-e. 

Those  who  have  any  perception  of  the  darkness  and  gloom  that 
now  overshadow  the  Church,  and  who  are  anxiously  inquiring  the 
way  to  Zion  with  their  faces  thitherward,  let  them  come  to  the 
revelations  that  have  been  made  for  the  New  Jerusalem.  Let  them 
come  to  the  light,  —  the  glad  and  glorious  light  —  of  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word  as  unfolded  in  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  and 
''  they  shall  walk  and  not  stumble."  Then,  if  they  really  desire 
to  know  the  truth  that  the  truth  may  make  them  free  —  free  from 
evil  loves  and  false  persuasions  —  if  they  desire  to  know  and  to 
five  the  life  of  heaven,  they  shall  understand  the  heavenly  mean- 
ing of  these  words  of  the  Lord,  "  The  people  that  walked  in  dark- 
ness have  seen  a  great  light :  they  that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the 


130 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


shadow  of  death,  upon  them  hath  the  light  shined."  (Is.  ix.  2. 
And  then  shall  they  also,  in  some  degree,  experience  within  them- 
selves—in  the  clearer  illustration  of  their  minds,  and  the  easiei 
control  of  their  turbulent  passions  —  the  fulfillment  of  these  othei 
words  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  "Arise,  shine  ;  for  thy  light  is 
come,  and  the  glory  of  Jehovah  is  risen  upon  thee.  For  behold, 
the  darkness  shall  cover  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people  : 
but  Jehovah  shall  arise  upon  thee,  and  his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon 
thee.  Tlie  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy  light  by  day ;  neither  for 
brightness  shall  the  moon  give  light  unto  thee  :  but  Jehovah  shall 
be  unto  thee  an  everlasting  light,  and  thy  God  thy  Glory.  Thy 
sun  shall  no  more  go  down ;  neither  shall  thy  moon  withdraw 
itself :  for  Jehovah  shall  be  thine  everlasting  light,  and  the  days  of 
thy  mourning  shall  be  ended."     (Is.  Ix.  1,  2,  19,  20.) 


LECTURE   VI. 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE SCIENCE    OF  CORRESPONDENCES,    THE    TRUE 

KEY   TO   THE   SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


Woe  unto  you,  Lawyers  I    For  ye  hare  taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge. -Luke  xi.  52. 

Is  it  not  singularly  strange,  while  every  body  is  willing  to  admit 
that  the  volume  of  nature  has  just  begun  to  be  unfolded  to  human 
vision,  and  that,  in  the  great  globe  of  science,  there  yet  lie  innu- 
merable strata  unexplored  and  untouched,  that  people  should  be 
so  unwilling  to  admit  that  any  higher  and  purer  truth  is  ever  to 
be  unfolded  from  the  volume  of  Revelation  ?  Is  it  not  strange  that 
Christians  should  so  generally  and  pertinaciously  insist,  that  all 
which  ever  will,  or  ever  can,  be  known  of  the  Word  of  God,  has 
already  been  discovered  by  the  learned  men  of  former  times  ?  Is 
not  this  virtually  to  deny  that  there  exists  any  analogy  between 
the  Word  and  the  works  of  God  ?  and  to  maintain  that  the  former 
is  a  very  superficial  production,  while  at  the  same  time  it  is  admitted 
that  there  are  infinite  stores  of  wisdom  in  the  latter,  which  yet  lie 
concealed  beneath  the  surface  ? 

It  was  a  pointed  question  once  asked  by  Swedenborg,  ''Will  it 
take  ages  to  discover  the  truth,  or  ages  to  acknowledge  it  when  dis- 
covered ?  "     Does  not  the  history  of  human  progress  show,  that  in 
proportion  as  a  truth  is  great,  and  transcending  the  capacity  of  the 
age,  it  is  either  overlooked,  forgotten,  or  rejected  ?    Long  and  hard 
has  truth  ever  had  to  struggle  to  penetrate  the  mists'^of  human 
ignorance,  prejudice,  and  error.     Although  it  never  comes  to  con- 
demn, but  always  to  save  the  world,  yet  at  its  advent  has  the  world 
always  pronounced  its  own  sentence  of  condemnation.     The  dispo- 
sition which  men  have  shown  ever  since  the  Fall,  to  shut  their  eyes 
against  the  light,  aflPords  a  striking  commentary  upon  the  words  of 
our  Lord,  "  And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their 
deeds  were  evil."     And  even  now,  as  ever,  -  the  light  shineth  in 
darkness  and  the  darkness  comprehendeth  it  not." 

It  was  intimated  in  a  preceding  lecture,  that  there  is  not  to  be 

ri3i) 


132 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


found,  outside  of  the  New  Church,  any  consistent,  uniform,  and 

well  established  principle  of  interpreting  the  Word  of  God, nor, 

indeed,  any  rule  for  unfolding  its  spiritual  sense.  And  for  want  of 
some  such  principle,  biblical  interpretation  is  necessarily  loose,  dis- 
cordant, conjectural,  and  often  contradictory.  Each  expounder  of 
the  Sacred  Oracles  is  left,  in  a  good  degree,  to  the  imperfect  guid- 
ance of  his  own  understanding,  or  even  to  the  indulgence  of  the 
wild  and  giddy  flights  of  his  untutored  imagination.  Consequently 
each  contrives  to  hammer,  and  bend,  and  twist  the  Scripture  into 
a  shape  conformable  to  his  ideas  ;  and  thus,  in  many  instances, 
men  give  forth  the  dark  counsels  of  their  own  intelligence,  for  livinc^ 
and  eternal  verities.  Hence  the  almost  countless  number  of  dorrmas 
in  the  Church  of  Christ,  many  of  which  neither  harmonize  ^with 
each  other,  nor  with  enlightened  reason;  and  yet  with  some 
hammering,  twisting,  and  grinding,  they  can  all,  in  some  measure, 
be  confirmed  by  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word. 

These  things  being  so,  it  is  no  wonder,  what  sensible  men  so 
often  affirm,  that  the  philosophy  of  the  pulpit  and  the  logic  of  the 
pulpit  are  very  bad  —  are  in  many  instances  absolutely  contempti- 
ble. Nor  is  it  much  wonder,  while  the  vague  conjectures  of  unin- 
spired men,  or  the  feeble  flickerings  of  human  intelligence,  are 
given  out  for  the  veritable  teachings  of  God's  Holy  Word,  that  the 
Sacred  Volume  should  have  fallen  into  such  discredit  as  it  has  with 
multitudes. 

To  show  that  my  assertion  with  regard  to  the  discordant  inter- 
pretations of  the  Word,  and  the  various  opinions  that  have  been 
entertained  upon  this  subject  among  biblical  scholars,  is  not  wholly 
gratuitous  or  unfounded,  I  will  here  cite  the  testimony  of  men,  who 
certainly  ought  to  know,  and  who  cannot  be  suspected  oi  any 
disposition  to  overstate  the  facts.  The  learned  Bishop  Marsh,  in 
his  first  lecture  upon  the  interpretation  of  the  Scripture,  says  : 

"  If  the  interpretation  of  the  Scripture  were  easy  and  obvious,  there 
would  be  little  or  no  diversity  in  the  explanations  which  different  com- 
mentators have  given  of  the  same  passasre.  But  if  we  compare  the 
Greek  with  the  Latin  commentators,  we  shall  frequently  find  such  a 
variety  of  interpretation,  as  would  appear  almost  impossible  to  be  ex- 
tracted from  the  same  text.  If  we  compare  the  Jewish  commentators 
either  with  the  Greek  or  with  the  Latin,  we  shall  find  as  great  a  variety 
though  a  variety  of  a  different  kind.  If  we  compare  our  English  com- 
mentators with  any  of  the  preceding,  we  shall  find  no  diminution  in 
tne  variety  of  interpretation.  Nor  do  we  find  uniformity,  either  amona 
commentators  of  the  same  language,  or  even  among  commentators  o-f 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


133 


the  same  church.  It  is  true,  that  in  all  things  relating  to  doctriii^  and 
discipline,  the  Church  of  Rome  preserved,  during  several  ao-es,  an 
uniformity  of  interpretation,  by  the  commentary  which  was  called  the 
Glossa  Ordinaria.  But  when  the  revival  of  learning  had  opened  new 
sources  of  intelligence,  and  the  Reformation  had  restored  the  right  of 
unfettered  exposition,  the  Glossa  Ordinaria  was  exchanged  for  new 
systems  of  interpretation,  from  Luther  and  Melancthon,  from  Calvin 
and  Beza,  from  Grotius  and  Spanheim."  —  p.  271. 

Mr.  Birks,  in  his  Elements  of  Prophecy,  says,  with  reference  to 
the  Apocalypse  : 

"  This  present  state  of  Apocalyptic  interpretation  is  one,  amona 
niany  features  in  the  actual  condition  of  the  Church,  which  should  lead 
the  Christian  to  humiliation  and  sorrow.  That  holy  prophecy,  which 
was  given  for  the  guidance  of  believers  to  the  end  of  time,  with  such 
a  peculiar  solemnity  and  so  repeated  a  blessing,  still  remains,  to  most 
Christians,  a  watchword  of  silent  contempt,  a  signal  for  controversy 
or  a  field  for  conjecture.  Few,  comparatively,  seem  to  have  gained  for 
themselves  an  assured  conviction  even  on  the  main  outlines  of  its  mean- 
ing."—p.  264. 

Mr.  Maitland,  in  his  Second  Inquiry,  p.  86,  remarks  : 
«  When  we  reflect  on  the  number  and  talents  of  the  men  who 
have  attempted  to  illustrate  the  visions  of  St.  John,  and  the  great 
discordance  of  opinions,  it  would  seem  as  if  there  must  be  somethino- 
radically  wrong,  some  fatal  error,  at  the  very  foundation  of  all  their 
systems  of  explanation,  which  is  one  great  cause  of  the  mistakes  and 
confusion  that  appear  to  pervade  them  all.  What  this  is  deserves 
to  be  maturely  considered." 

Professor  Tholuck,  of  the  University  of  Halle,  in  Germany  — a 
writer  of  high  repute  among  biblical  scholars  —  says : 

"It  is  a  matter  of  experience  that  there  is  no  greater  source  of  dis- 
quiet to  the  young  theological  student,  than  the  endless  variety  of  opin- 
ions in  respect  to  the  doctrines  of  faith  and  interpretation  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  are  presented  to  him  in  the  history  of   the  church,  and 
in  the  course  of  exegetical  lectures.     Even  laymen,  when  aware  of 
the  want  of  accord  among  theologians  in  this  latter  respect,  are  often 
not  a  little  disturbed  ;  and  it  has  been  a  case  of  actual  occurrence, 
that  one  and  another  have  been  ready  to  take  refuge  from  this  dis' 
quietude  in  the  Pope  ;  where,  as  they  suppose,  the°  solution  of    all 
difficulties  is  to  be  found.     They  know  not,  or  do  not  remember,  the 
discrepancies  of  Catholic  interpreters,  not  merely  with  one  another, 
but  even  with  themselves  ;  how  Augustine,  for  instance,  in  four  differ- 
ent passages  of  his  works,  has  given  four  different  expositions  of  one 
text,  while  no  Pope  has  ever  yet  decided  which  is  the  correct  one." 


134 


THE    SACRED     SCRIPTURE. 


"  But  who  is  there,"  continues  the  same  author,  "  who  would  not  at 
the  first  glance  be  justly  disquieted,  and  even  despair  of  any  certain  way 
to  the  understanding  of  the  Scriptures,  when  on  a  single  passage  not  less 
than  two  hundred  and  forty-three  expositions  are  placed  before  us  ]  as  is 
dune  by  Weigaud  in  his  work  on  Gal.  iii.  20.  To  these  the  author  sub- 
joins the  two  hundred  and  forty-fourth,  which  also  has  since  been  eclipsed 
by  later  attempts.  It  were  well  worth  while  thoroughly  to  weigh 
the  causes  of  so  enormous  a  discrepancy  of  opinion  in  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Holy  Scriptures — a  discrepancy  of  which  the  whole  range 
of  classic  literature  nowhere  affords  so  portentous  an  example." — See 
Bib.  Repos.  far  Oct.,  1833,  p.  684-6. 

Here  are  frank  confessions  indeed  ;  and  the  source  from  which 
they  come,  is  such  as  to  leave  no  room  to  doubt  their  truth.  And 
it  would  not  be  difficult  to  fill  pages  with  similar  admissions  from 
the  pens  of  theological  writers,  all  going  to  show,  not  only  a  great 
want  of  agreement  and  uniformity  in  the  interpretation  of  Scrip- 
ture, but  a  great  diversity  of  opinion  in  respect  to  the  nature  and 
degree  of  the  inspiration  which  belongs  to  it. 

And  is  the  Scripture  really  the  Word  of  God,  and  yet  so  loose, 
disorderly,  and  immethodical  in  the  style  of  its  composition,  that 
there  is  no  one  uniform  principle  of  interpretation  applicable  to  all 
parts  ?  Is  it  presumable,  in  the  outset,  that  there  would  be  less 
uniformity  in  the  Word  of  God  than  in  His  works  ?  And  should 
we  not  expect  that  His  Word,  even  in  the  style  of  its  composition, 
would  transcend  every  human  production  as  far  as  His  works 
transcend  those  of  man,  or  as  nature  rises  superior  to  art  ?  And 
if  the  Scripture  be  composed  according  to  some  uniform  plan  — 
some  fixed  and  eternal  law  of  divine  order  (as  we  should  suppose 
would  be  the  case  with  a  really  divine  composition)  —  then  it  is  ob- 
vious that  a  knowledge  of  this  principle  of  its  construction  is  im- 
portant to  a  right  understanding  of  the  Scripture.  To  know 
what  the  Scripture  really  teaches,  we  ought  first  to  know  the  law 
of  its  composition,  which  alone  can  enable  us  to  interpret  it 
aright. 

Now  we  believe  and  maintain  that  the  Scripture  is  composed 
according  to  a  fixed  and  uniform  law,  and  that  the  nature  of  its 
divine  style  is  disclosed  in  the  theological  writings  of  Emanuel 
Swedenborg.  We  believe  also  that  the  key  to  the  true  interpreta- 
tion of  the  Word,  is  revealed  in  these  writings  for  the  use  of  the 
New  Christian  Church,  which  the  Lord  is  now  in  the  endeavor  to 
establish  upon  earth.     It  is  the  design  of  this  lecture  to  unfold  ar..l 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


135 


exhibit,  in  some  measure,  the  nature  of  that  law  according  to  which 
the  Scripture  is  composed,  and  to  illustrate  its  importance,  at  the 
same  time  that  we  are  confirming  its  truth,  by  applying  it  to  the 
interpretation  of  some  portion  of  the  Word. 

But  I  shall  assume  in  the  outset  that  the  reader  already  ac- 
knowledges the  existence  of  a  Divine  Being  — acknowledges  that 
there  is  a  God,  and  that  He  is  a  Spirit  (John  iv.  24)  ;  that  He  is 
essential  Love  (1  John  iv.  16),  and  essential  Wisdom  (Jer.  x.  12  ; 
Johni.  1,3);    or   Goodness  itself  (Luke  xviii,    19),   and   Truth 
Itself  (John  xiv.  6).    I  shall  assume  that  the  reader  already  believes 
that  this  Divine  Being  or  Spirh;,  whose  essence  is  love  and  wisdom, 
IS  not  confined  to  time  or  space,  but  is  always  and  everywhere 
present  as  the  life  and  soul  of  everything  that  lives ;  as  the  form- 
mg,  supporting,  and  animating  principle  of  the  universe.*     I  shall 
also  assume  that  it  is  believed  that  men,  animals,  trees,  plants,  and 
every  smallest  blade  of  grass,  do  not  live  and  grow  of  themselves 
alone,  but  by  virtue  of  a  constant  influx  into  them  of  hving  princi- 
ples  from  Him  who  alone  is  spirit  and  life.     In  short,  I  sliall  as- 
sume  that  it  is  believed,  not  only  that  man  has  a  soul  or  spiritual 
prmciple,  without  which  his  corporeal  part  hath  no  life,  but  also 
that  there  is  a  spiritual  principle  within  and  throughout  all  nature 
constituting  its  soul,   life,  and  forming  power ;  which  principle  is 
not  blmd,  but  is  a  constant  emanation  from  the  Omniscient  Mind. 
I  shall  assume  that  there  is  already  an  acknowledgment  of  this* 
because  it  appears  at  once  so  obvious  and  rational,  that  I  do  not 
well  see  how  a  man  can  really  deny  it.     I  do  not  well  see,  for  ex- 
ample, how  any  reflecting  man  can  deny  that  he  has  a  mind  as 
well  as  a  body,  or  that  there  is  a  spiritual  as  well  as  a  material  part 
appertaining  to  his  constitution ;  and  that  all  living  thino-s  have 
withm  them  a  spiritual  essence  which  the  natural  eye  does  not  see 
and  which  constitutes  their  Hfe.  ' 

From  the  premises  here  assumed,  therefore,  the  conclusion  in- 
evitably follows  that  some  spiritual  principle,  i.  e.,  something  of  love 
and  wisdom  from  the  Lord,  who  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself 
must  enter  into  and  fill  every  single  thing  in  the  natural  world,  as 
Its  soul,  essence,  and  forming  power  ;  just  as  the  spirit  of  man  'for 
example,  enters  into  and  fills  with  its  own  life  every  organ,  m'em- 


*It  will  be  shown  in  a  subsequent  lecture,  when  we  come  to  treat  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  Lord,  that  the  New  Church  does  not  make  God  a  mere 
abstraction,  but  a  living  Divine  Person. 


136 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


brane,  gland,  fibre,  <fec.,  of  the  human  body.  Thus  all  nature  is 
seen  to  be  but  an  eflfect,  of  which  God,  who  is  Spirit  and  the  only 
Life,  is  the  cause.  Hence  every  single  thing  in  nature  —  beast, 
bird,  fish,  insect,  air,  water,  trees,  stones  —  and  every  natural  phe- 
nomenon that  we  witness  around  us,  is  only  an  effect,  of  which 
some  spiritual  principle  proceeding  from  the  Lord  as  its  centre  and 
source,  is  the  internal  and  producing  cause.  Nature,  therefore,  in 
one  complex,  is  the  clothing  of  the  Divine  —  the  outer  garment  of 
God  ;  as  the  body  of  man  is  the  clothing  or  material  garment  of 
his  soul.  Consequently  every  single  object  and  phenomenon 
in  nature  is  the  outer  garment  of  some  particular  portion  of  the 
Divine,  or  of  some  order  and  degree  of  goodness  and  truth  ;  for 
in  the  Lord  there  are  all  orders  and  degrees  of  love  and  wisdom, 
or  of  goodness  and  truth.  This,  I  think,  must  appear  perfectly 
rational  and  incontrovertibly  true  to  every  man  who  is  not  an  athe- 
ist, and  thus  in  the  denial  of  any  spiritual  principle  as  the  creative 
power  and  real  cause  of  all  effects  in  nature. 

That  some  spiritual  principle,  therefore,  enters  into  each  and 
every  single  object  in  nature,  and  stands  related  to  it  as  cause  to 
effect,  is  a  perfectly  rational  conclusion,  and  one  that  is  legitimately 
drawn  from  premises  which  must  be  admitted  by  all  who  ac- 
knowledge the  existence  of  a  Divine  Being.  Now  this  relation  be- 
tween certain  spiritual  principles  which  proceed  from  the  Lord,  and 
the  effects  or  forms  which  these  principles  produce,  is  what,  in 
New  Church  phraseology,  is  termed  Correspondence;  and  the 
knowledge  of  this  relation  between  ultimate  effects  and  the  spirit- 
ual principles  which  enter  into  them  as  their  cause,  or  between 
the  forms  of  things  and  their  essence,  is  called  the  Science  of 
Co  rrespondences. 

"  That  all  things  in  nature,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  both  in  general 
and  in  particular,  correspond  to  things  spiritual,  and  in  like  manner, 
all  and  every  thing  in  the  human  body,  is  shown  in  the  treatise  on 
Htaven  and  Hell.  But  what  is  meant  by  correspondence  has  to  this 
day  remained  unknown,  notwithstanding  it  was  a  subject  most  fami- 
liar to  the  men  of  the  most  ancient  times,  who  esteemed  it  the 
chief  of  sciences,  and  cultivated  it  so  universally,  that  all  their  books 
and  tracts  were  written  by  correspondences.  The  book  of  Job,  which 
was  a  book  of  the  ancient  church,  is  full  of  correspondences.  The 
hieroglyphics  of  the  Egyptians,  and  the  fabulous  stories  of  antiquity, 
were  founded  on  the  same  science.  All  the  ancient  churches  were 
churches    representative   of  spiritual  things;    and  their  ceremonies. 


KEY   TO    THE   SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


137 


and  their  statutes,  which  were  rules  for  the  institution  of  their  wor- 
ship  consisted  of  mere  correspondences ;  in  like  manner,  everything 
in  the  Israelitish   church,  their   burnt-offerings    and    sacrifices,  with 
all  the  particulars  belonging  to  each,  were  correspondences :  so  also 
with  the  tabernacle,  with  all  things  contained  in  it :    and  likewise 
their  festivals,  as  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread,  the   feast  of  taber- 
nacles,  the  feast  of   first-fruits ;    algo,  the  priesthood  of  Aaron    and 
the  Levites,  and  their  garments  of  holiness  ;  and  beside  the  things 
above-mentioned,  all  their  statutes  and  judgments,  relating  to  wor- 
ship and  life,  were  correspondences.     Now  forasmuch  as  divhie  things 
fix  their  existence  in  outward    nature  in  correspondences,  therefore 
the  Word  was  written  by  mere  correspondences;  and  for  the  same 
reason  the  Lord,  in  consequence  of  speaking  from  Divinity,  spoke 
by  correspondences ;    for  whatever  proceeds  from  Divinity,  when  it 
comes  into  outward  nature,  manifests  itself  in  such  outward   things 
as  correspond  with  what  is  divine ;    which    outward   things  become 
then  the  repositories  of  divine  things,  otherwise  called  celestial  and 
spiritual,  which  lie  concealed  within  them."— Z>.  5?.  5!.  n.  20. 

The  reason  why  this  relation  of  which  I  have  spoken,  is  called 
correspondence,  is,  because  the  peculiar  organization,  shape,  color, 
and  all  the  sensible  qualities  which  belong  to  any  object  in  nature,' 
correspond  to  the    quality  of  the   spiritual  principle  which  enters 
into  it  as  its  producing  cause,  as  perfectly  as  the  body  of  man  cor- 
responds to  his  soul.     Every  natural  object  was  created  for  some 
particular  use  in  this  natural  world  ;  and  all  its  sensible  properties 
correspond  to  this  natural  use,  as  an  effect  to  its  cause  ;  and  this 
natural  use  corresponds  in  the  same  manner  to  the  spiritual  use  of 
the  object,  or  to  the   spiritual  principle  which  is  the  cause  of  its 
natural  use. 

Thus  the  sun,  air,  water,  &c.,  have  each  of  them  from  creation, 
certain  peculiar  sensible  properties;  and  these  properties  are  adapted 
to  produce  certain   effects,  which  are  the  natural  uses  of   these 
objects,  and  to  which  they  therefore  correspond  as  cause  to  effect. 
Illumination  is  one  of  the  uses  which  results  from  the  sun's  peculiar 
properties  ;  and  hence  this  use  is  correspondent  to  the  sun's  peculiar 
form  or  constitution.     Water  performs  no  such  use  as  this  ;  there- 
for*e  it  does  not  correspond  to  it.     And  the   natural  uses  of  these 
objects  correspond  to  certain  spiritual  uses,  or  to  spiritual  principles 
from  which  the  natural  use  results  as  an  effect  from  its  cause.    Thus 
the  sun,  as  being  the  source  of  light  and  heat  to  the  natural  world, 
corresponds  to  the  Lord,  who  is  the  source  of  all  spiritual  light  and 
heat,  or  of  wisdom  and  love,  to  angels  and  men.    Therefore  the  sun, 
12 


138 


THK   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


when  mentioned  in  the  Word,  signifies  the  Lord.  The  lights  wliich 
proceeds  from  the  sun,  because  it  enables  us  to  see  natural  objects, 
to  travel  about,  and  to  perform  various  natural  uses,  corresponds 
to  truth  which  proceeds  from  the  Lord,  and  which  enables  us  to 
discern  spiritual  things,  i.  e.,  to  understand  the  quality  of  various 
affections  and  thoughts,  to  travel  on  our  spiritual  journey,  and  to 
perform  various  spiritual  uses,  or  the  great  work  of  regeneration. 
Therefore  truth  is  what  is  spiritually  signified  by  liyht  when  men- 
tioned in  the  Word.  The  heat  which  proceeds  from  the  sun, 
because  it  supplies  the  earth  with  natural  warmth,  and  is  that 
principle  which  animates,  vivifies  and  quickens  all  natural  things, 
corresponds  to  love  which  proceeds  from  the  Lord,  which  supphes 
the  soul  with  spiritual  warmth,  gives  vitality  to  the  affections,  and 
is  the  vivifying  and  quickening  principle  of  all  spiritual  life.  There- 
fore love  is  the  spiritual  signification  of  heat  when  mentioned  in  the 
Word.  The  atmosphere,  because  it  is  the  means  of  tempering  the 
rays  of  the  sun  and  transmitting  them  to  the  earth,  corresponds  to 
that  pure  and  elevated  principle  of  the  human  mind  which  intends 
use,  and  which  is,  therefore,  the  medium  of  transmitting  the  celestial 
beams  of  goodness  and  truth  from  the  spiritual  Sun  to  the  lower 
regions  or  the  earth  of  our  minds.  For  it  is  to  be  observed  that 
the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church  teach,  that  no  man  is  resfenerated 
instantaneously;  but,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  heavenly  principles 
of  goodness  and  truth  are  brought  down  gradually  and  successively 
into  the  region  of  the  natural  mind,  and  just  in  the  degree  that  we 
are  willing  to  shun  their  opposites,  and  to  perform  uses  from  love 
to  the  Lord  and  for  the  good  of  the  neighbor  —  i.  e.,from  a  genuine 
love  of  use.  Thus  the  aftection  of  use  is  our  spiritual  atmosphere, 
or  the  medium  through  which  goods  and  truths  —  the  rays  of  the 
spiritual  Sun  —  find  access  to  the  lower  region  of  our  minds. 
Therefore  the  atmosphere  in  its  spiritual  sense,  signifies  the  love  of 
use,  or  use  itself.  Again  :  ivater,  which,  among  various  other  uses, 
is  employed  for  quenching  thirst,  and  for  cleansing  things  of  their 
natural  impurities,  corresponds  to  truth  as  employed  in  quenching 
spiritual  thirst,  and  cleansing  the  mind  of  its  impure  thoughts  and 
affections.  Therefore  when  water  is  spoken  of  in  the  Word  in 
reference  to  these  uses,  it  signifies,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  the  use 
of  truth  in  satisfying  the  thirsty  soul  and  washing  away  our  spir- 
itual impurities. 

Now  the  use  of  the  natural  objects  here  mentioned,  proceeds  from 
the  use  of  the  spiritual  principles  which  they  denote,  as  an  effect 


KEY   TO   THK    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


139 


from  its  cause.     Therefore  it  is  that  these  natural  things  are  said 
to  correspond  lo  such  spiritual  principles. 

These  few  examples  are  sufl&cient  to  give  some  general  idea  of 
the  doctrine  of  correspondence  —  a  doctrine  which  is  not  only 
rational  and  philosophical,  but  which  it  seems  absolutely  necessary 
to  admit,  unless  we  deny  the  existence  of  a  Divine  Being,  and 
consequently  deny  that  there  is  an  influx  of  divine  or  spiritual 
principles  from  Him  into  the  various  forms  which  exist  in  nature. 
According  to  this  doctrine,  all  things  around  us  are  significant.  All 
material  things,  and  all  natural  phenomena,  are  symbols  of  certain 
spiritual  principles  and  their  operation  in  the  mind  of  man.  The 
entire  volume  of  nature  is,  what  Bishop  Warburton  calls  the  pro- 
phetic writings,  a  speaking  hieroglyphic.  This  natural  world,  being 
the  world  of  effects,  is  but  an  out-birth  from  the  Deity,  in  every 
single  object  and  operation  of  which,  is  mirrored  some  principle  of 
the  Divine  Mind,  either  in  its  pure  or  perverted  form.  Each  thing, 
therefore,  represents  by  correspondence,  some  specific  spiritual 
principle  —  something  of  thought  and  affection,  or  of  the  wisdom 
and  love  of  God,  which  enters  into  it  as  its  forming  power,  and 
constitutes  its  real  essence. 

And  inasmuch  as  man  was  created  an  image  and  likeness  of  God, 
therefore  everything  in  the  natural  world  must  also  represent  by 
correspondence  some  spiritual  principle  appertaining  to  the  mind  of 
man.  To  make  this  subject  still  plainer,  it  is  as  if  particular  affec- 
tions and  thoughts,  or  specific  human  principles,  proceeding  in  the 
first  instance  from  the  Lord,  were  taken  out  of  man,  and  each 
embodied  in  some  natural  form  ;  which  natural  form  is  in  all  re- 
spects perfectly  correspondent  to  the  quality  of  the  spiritual 
principle  which  enters  into  and  fills  it,  and  of  which  it  is,  therefore, 
a  perfect  type,  or  representative  image.  For  example,  one  principle 
taken  out  of  the  human  mind,  and,  separate  from  all  others,  being 
clothed  with  matter,  or  embodied  in  a  natural  form,  becomes  a  horse, 
another  a  sheep,  another  a  lion,  another  a  dove,  (fee.  And  thus 
throughout  the  vast  range  of  nature,  we  have  all  the  principles  of 
the  human  mind  individualized  and  embodied  in  form. 

And  here  it  should  be  remarked,  that,  as  every  pure  and  heavenly 
principle  is  capable  of  being  perverted  by  man,  and  thus  turned 
into  something  of  an  opposite  nature  —  every  good  into  its  opposite 
evil,  and  every  truth  into  its  opposite  falsity  —  so  there  are  in  nature 
forms  which  embody  and  thus  represent  by  correspondence  these 
opposite  or  infernal  principles ;  such,  for  example,  are  all  unclean 


140 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


things,  ferocious  animals,  poisonous  plants,  venomous  reptiles,  <fec. 
According  to  Swedenborg,  something  like  this  individualization 
of  the  principles  of  the  human  mind  just  hinted  at,  and  their  em- 
bodiment under  correspondent  external  forms,  actually  takes  place 
in  the  spiritual  world.  There,  both  angels  and  evil  spirits  behold 
in  the  objects  around  them  the  forms  of  their  own  loves.  Their 
affections  take  to  themselves  certain  external  forms  according  to 
their  quahty,  and  thus  the  principles  which  are  active  in  their 
minds  at  any  time  are  presented  in  effigy  before  their  eyes.  The 
angels  therefore  behold  around  them,  delightful  fields  with  sportive 
sheep  and  lambs,  little  children  playing  in  flower  gardens,  warbling 
birds  of  beautiful  colors,  and  other  like  pleasing  imagery ;  while 
those  of  the  infernal  kingdom  look  upon  scenes  of  barrenness  and 
horror,  and  behold  therein  the  ugly  forms  of  savage  beasts  and 
offensive  birds.     Hear  what  Swedenborg  says  upon  this  subject : 

"  No  one  can  know  what  is  the  quality  of  the  life  of  the  beasts  of 
the  earth,  of  the  birds  of  heaven,  and  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  unless  it  be 
known  what  their  soul  is,  and  the  quality  thereof.  That  every  animal 
hath  a  soul  is  a  well  known  thing,  for  they  live,  and  life  is  a  soul, 
wherefore  also  in  the  Word  they  are  called  living  souls.  That  the 
soul  in  its  ultimate  form,  which  is  corporeal,  such  as  appeareth  before 
the  sight,  is  the  animal,  cannot  be  better  known  from  any  other  source, 
than  from  the  spiritual  world  :  for  in  the  spiritual  world,  in  like  manner 
as  in  the  natural  world,  there  are  seen  beasts  of  all  kinds,  and  birds  of 
all  kinds,  and  fishes  of  all  kinds,  and  so  like  in  form,  that  they  cannot 
be  distinguished  from  those  which  are  in  our  world  ;  but  the  difier- 
ence  is,  that  in  the  spiritual  world  they  exist  apparently  from  the  af- 
fections of  angels  and  spirits,  so  that  they  are  appearances  of  affections; 
wherefore  they  also  vanish  away  as  soon  as  the  angel  or  spirit  de- 
parteth,  or  his  affections  ceaseth.  Hence  it  is  evident  that  their  soul  is 
nothing  else  [  but  some  human  affection  ]  ;  consequently  that  there 
exist  as  many  genera  and  species  of  animals,  as  there  are  genera  and 
species  of  affections." — Ap.  Ex.  1199. 

"  Inasmuch  as  the  universal  heaven  is  distinguished  into  societies, 
in  like  manner  the  universal  hell,  and  also  the  universal  world  of  spirits, 
and  the  societies  are  arranged  according  to  the  genera  and  species  of 
affections,  and  inasmuch  as  the  animals  there  are  appearances  of  af- 
fections, as  was  just  said  above,  therefore  one  kind  of  animal  with  ith 
species  appears  in  one  society,  and  another  in  another,  and  all  kinds 
of  animals  with  their  species  in  the  whole  together.  In  the  societies 
of  heaven  appear  the  tame  and  clean  animals,  in  the  societies  of  hell 
the  savage  and  unclean  beasts,  and  in  the  world  of  spirits,  beasts  of 


KEY   TO   THE    SPIRITUAL   SENSE.  14 1 

a  mediate  cnaracter.     They  have  often  been  seen  by  me,  and  it  has 

WllTtVe''"'^  '1  '"T.  '''  ^"^'^^  ^'  ^^^  ^"^^^^  -^  «P-^ts  there 
for  all  m  the  spiritual  world  are  known  from  the  appearances  which 
a  e  near  and  about  them,  and  their  affections  from  various  things,  and 
also  from  ammals.     In  the  heavens  I  have  seen  lambs,  sheeVshe- 

also  turtle-doves,  pigeons,  birds  of  paradise,  and  several  others  of  a 
beautiful  form  and  color  ;  I  have  seen  likewise  various  kinds  offish  in 
the  waters  but  these  in  the  lowest  parts  of  heaven.  But  in  the  hells 
are  seen  dogs,  wolves,  foxes,  tigers,  swine,  mice,  and  several  other 
kinds  of  savage  and  unclean  beasts,  besides  venomous  serpents  of 
many  species,  likewise  crows,  owls  and  bats."— mw.  n.  1200: 

^  But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  objects  here  spoken  of  as  seen 
m  the  spiritual  world,  are  material,  like  similiar  ones  in  this  world 
Ihey  are  the  substantial  and  correspondent  forms  of  particular 
affections,  and,  like  every  thing  else  in  that  world,  are  all  spiritual, 
as  IS  evident  from  its  being  said  that  they  disappear  as  soon  as  the 
attections,  which  are  their  soul  and  life,  cease. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  will  readily  be  seen  that  a  pure  cor- 
respondence is  something  quite  different  from  those  figures  of  speech 
called  metaphor  and  simile^  wherein  one  thing  is  taken  to  represent 
another  to  which  it  bears  some  analogy.  For  although  a  metaphor 
or  simile  may  he  a  pure  correspondence,  it  may  also  be,  and 
often  IS,  based  on  the  apparent  analogy  existing  between  things 
that  are  the  same  m  kind  ;  whereas  correspondences  are  based  not 
on  any  apparent  analogy,  but  on  a  real  and  eternal  relation  subsist- 
ing between  the  natural  and  the  spiritual,  as  that  between  body 
and  soul,  or  between  an  effect  and  its  producing  cause. 

Any  one  who  reflects  upon  this  relation  may  see  that  it  is  not 
arbitrary,  nor  fanciful,  nor  in  any  degree  dependent  upon  the  un- 
derstanding or  will  of  man  ;  but  that  it  is  a  law  of  divine  order  in 
creation,  as  fixed  as  any  of  the  laws  of  nature,  and  as  exact  as 
the  science  of  mathematics.  This  eternal  relation  between  natural 
arid  spiritual  things,  which  is  called  correspondence,  exists,  because 
the  natural  world  exists  from  a  spiritual  cause. 

Now  although  the  knowledge  of  this  science  of  Correspondences 
as  a  Science,  has  been  lost  to  the  world  for  thousands  of  years  in 
consequence  of  the  depravity  of  man,  yet  there  has  ever  remained 
some  perception  and  acknowledgment  of  its  existence.     It  is  said 
for  exanaple,  that  li^kt  is  used  in  all  languages,  as  the  representative 
image  of  truth  m  its  power  of  illustrating  the  human  understand- 


(42 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


ing.     There  is  also  a  common  perception  among  men  that  sheep, 
lambs,  doves,  <fec.,  correspond  to  certain  principles  or  affections  of 
the  mind,  which  are  pure  and  innocent ;  and   hence  they  are  so 
often  selected  as   the  fit  representatives  of  such  affections ;  while 
bears,  wolves,  serpents,  and  the  like,  are  commonly  chosen  to  re- 
present the  opposite  affections.      The  foundation  of  all  excellence 
in  the  arts  of  painting  and  sculpture,  is  based  upon  the  Science  of 
Correspondences,  a  portion  of  which  the  artist  receives  by  influx. 
For  it  is  the  great  aim  of  those  who  cultivate  these  arts  in  theii 
higher  departments,  to  represent  by  sensible  colors,  and  to  embody 
under  material  forms,  certain  ideas  or  principles  which   appertain 
to  the  mind,  and  which  are  therefore  spiritual.     The  artist  labors 
to  give  a  visible  form  to  his  conceptions,  either  on  canvas  or  in 
marble  ;  and  if  his  power  of  execution  be  equal  to  his  conception, 
there  will  be  a  perfect  correspondence  between  his  picture  or  statue, 
and  the  idea  which  he  had  endeavored  therein  to  express.     The 
works  of  the  greatest  masters  in  poetry  also,  and  those  destined 
to  live  the  longest,  will  be  found,  on  careful  examination,  to  con- 
tain the  most  of  pure  correspondences.     For  it  is  to  be  observed 
that  genuine  poetry  is  identical  with  truth.     It  is  the  truth  in  these 
works  which  is  their  living  principle,  and  the  source  of  their  power 
over  men,  and  which  promises  to  them  an  enduring  fame. 

Moreover,  as  we  go  back  to  the  period  of  remote  antiquity, 
especially  as  we  journey  eastward  and  explore  the  arcana  of  oriental 
literature,  we  find  still  more  of  the  remains  of  the  Science  of  Cor- 
respondences ;  for  the  highly  figurative  style,  as  it  is  called,  of 
Asiatic  literature,  is  a  thing  well  known  among  men  of  learning. 
But  the  country  which  most  abounds  in  the  remains  of  this  science 
at  the  present  day,  is  Egypt,  the  land  where  anciently  the  Science 
of  Correspondences  was  most  studied,  and  where,  as  a  science,  it 
took  its  departure  from  among  men  :  for  the  hieroglyphics  upon 
the  monuments  of  Egypt  are  natural  symbols  of  certain  idoas,  and 
hence  were  chosen  as  the  fit  representatives  of  thin^  that  are 
spiritual ;  and  although  they  are  not  pure,  but  somewhat  perverted 
correspondences,  yet  this  science,  the  revival  of  which  commenced 
with  the  revelations  made  through  Swedenborg,  is  the  only  key  by 
which  the  true  and  full  meaning  of  these  Egyptian  figures  can  ever 
be  unlocked. 

Again  :  the  Science  of  Correspondences  explains  the  origin  of 
the  idolatrous  practices  of  different  nations.  The  most  ancient 
people  upon  this  earth  were  pure  and  innocent,  and  were  in  causes; 


KEY    TO   THE    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


143 


i.  e.y  they  were  in  the  orderly  reception  and  exercise  of  those  spir- 
itual principles  which  proceed  from  the  Lord,  and  which  enter  as 
the  producing  cause  into  all  natural  effects.  They  had,  therefore,  a 
perception  of  the  internal  quality  of  things,  thus  of  the  spiritual 
import  of  the  objects  around  them.  They  saw  heaven  mirrored  in 
the  things  of  earth.  When  they  looked  on  nature,  their  thoughts 
did  not  rest  there,  but  immediately  rose  above  nature  to  the  spirit- 
ual things  which  were  symbolized  by  the  objects  they  beheld. 
When  they  looked  at  the  sun,  for  example,  they  thought  of  the 
Lord,  of  whom  the  sun  is  the  natural  representative  image.  But 
as  man  turned  from  the  true  worship,  acknowledgment,  and  love 
of  the  Lord,  to  the  love  of  himself,  and  let  his  thoughts  down  from 
heavenly  to  earthly  things,  he  gradually  lost  his  perceptions  of  the 
spiritual  in  the  natural  ;  and  thus,  ceasing  to  think  of  the  Lord 
as  represented  in  the  natural  sun,  in  proportion  as  he  ceased  to 
worship  Him  "  in  spirit  and  in  truth,"  he  came  at  length  to  wor- 
ship the  natural  symbol  —  the  sun  itself 

Similar  remarks  will  apply  to  other  idolatrous  practices  ;  for  they 
all  had  their  origin  in  the  Science  of  Correspondences.  The  fol- 
lowing^ extract  contains  Swedenborg's  account  of  the  origin  of 
idolatry : 

"  The  reason  why  the  idolatries  of  the  Gentiles  of  old  took  their 
rise  from  the  Science  of  Correspondences,  was,  because  all  things 
that  appear  on  the  face  of  the  earth  have  correspondence ;  conse- 
quently, not  only  trees  and  vegetables,  but  also  beasts  and  birds  of  every 
kind ;  with  fishes  and  all  other  things.  The  ancients,  who  were 
versed  in  the  Science  of  Correspondences,  made  themselves  images, 
which  corresponded  with  heavenly  things ;  and  were  greatly  de- 
lio-hted  with  them  bv  reason  of  their  signification,  and  because  they 
could  discern  in  them  what  related  to  Heaven  and  the  Church. 
They  therefore  placed  those  images  not  only  in  their  temples,  but 
also  in  their  houses  ;  not  with  any  intention  to  worship  them,  but  to 
serve  as  means  of  recollecting  the  heavenly  things  signified  by  them. 
Hence,  in  Egypt,  and  in  other  places,  they  made  images  of  calves, 
oxen,  and  serpents,  and  also  of  children,  old  men,  and  virgins  ;  be- 
cause calves  and  oxen  signified  the  affection  of  the  natural  man  ; 
serpents,  the  prudence  of  the  sensual  man  ;  children,  innocence  and 
charity;  old  men,  wisdom  ;  and  virgins,  the  affections  of  truth;  and 
so  in  other  instances.  Succeeding  ages,  when  the  Science  of  Cor- 
respondences was  obliterated,  began  to  adore  as  holy,  and  at  length 
1.0  worship  as  deities,  the  images  and  resemblances  set  up  by  their 


w 


144 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTCRE. 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


I4i 


forefathers,  because   they  found    them   in   and  about  their  temples. 

,     A  IT,  "■'\'  """^  ''"''  "^^^^  "^''""^ ;  ««  ^ith  the  Philistines 

n  Ashdod,  whose  god,  Dagon  (concerning  whom,  see  1  Sam.  v.  I,  to 
he  end),  was,  in  its  upper  part  like  a  man,  and   in   its   lower   part 
.ke  a  fish  ;    the  reason  of  which  was,  because  a  man  signifies  in- 
telligence, and  a  fish,  science,  which  make  a  one.      For  the  same 
reason,  the  ancients  performed  their  worship  in  gardens  and  groves 
according  to  the  different  kinds  of  trees  growing  in  them,  Id  also 

Z^IZT""  '.*''"''  ^°'  ^"''^"^  *"''  ^°^««  ^'g-'ifi^'d  wisdom 
and  intelligence,  and  every  particular  tree  something  that  had  rela- 
tion thereto  ;  as  the  olive,  the  good  of  love ;  the  vine,  truth  derived 

Tj  u  f  °u  '  ^^  ''^"'  ^''°^  ''"'^  ''"'h  ^"t'"""' ;  «  mountain  sia. 
nified  the  highest  heaven;  a  hill,  the  heaven  beneath.  That  the 
Science  of  Correspondences  remained  amongst  many  eastern  nations, 
even  ul  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  may  appear  also  from  the  wise 
men  of  the  east,  who  visited  the  Lord  at  His  nativity;  wherefore  a 
star  went  before  them,  and  they  brought  with  them  gifts,  gold,  frank- 
incense, and  myrrh  (Matt.  ii.  I,  2,  9,  10,  ]  1);  for  the  star  which  went 
before  them  signified  knowledge  from  heaven  ;  gold  signified  celes- 
tial good;  frankincense,  spiritual  good;  and  myrrh,  natural  good;  which 
are  the  three  constituents  of  all  worship."—/).  S.  S.  23. 

Sufficient,  I  trust,  has  now  been  said  in  explanation  of  the  Sci- 
ence of  Correspondences.  The  reader  will  see,  in  what  has  been 
said,  sufficient  reason  for  admitting  that  this  science  is  based  upon 
a  fixed  and  eternal  law  of  divine  order,  according  to  which 
alone  creation  can  proceed.  For  spiritual  principles,  as  they  de- 
scend from  the  Lord,  clothe  themselves  in  ultimate  forms  corres- 
pondent with  their  quality. 

Here,  then,  in  this  Science  of  Correspondences,  which  was  an- 
ciently esteemed  the  Science  of  Sciences,  we  discover  the  law  ac- 
cording to  which  the  Divine  Word  is  composed  ;  for  the  Scripture  is 
written   throughout   according  to  correspondences.     The  Divine 
Wisdom  could  not  descend  to  a  level  with  the  human  understand- 
ing, in  any  other  way  than  by  clothing  itself  in  a  garb  of  natural 
objects  and  events.     The  Lord  could  not  speak  to  man  without 
speaking  in  pure  correspondences,  any  more  than  He  could  create 
things  in  nature  without    an   influx   of  spiritual   principles   into 
correspondent  natural  forms  ;  for  neither  the   one  nor  the  other 
would  be  according  to  His  divine  order.     And  as  witli  the  volume 
of  nature,  the  further  we  descend  beneath  its  surface,  and  the  more 
we  explore  its  interior  structure  and  laws,  the  more  curious  won- 


derful,  and  perfect  do  we  find  it  all,  so  it  is  with  the  Sacred 
Scripture. 

And  here  we  discover  a  complete  analogy  between  the  Word  and 
the  works  of  God.  Here,  too,  we  learn  something  of  the  true  nature 
of  inspiration,  and  wherein  the  divinity  of  the  Word  consists.  We 
see  that  the  Scripture  is  divine  even  to  ultimates  ;  and  that  it  sur- 
passes every  human  composition,  not  only  in  the  nature  of  its  con- 
tents, but  also  in  the  style  of  its  composition,  in  the  same  manner 
and  degree  that  the  works  of  nature  transcend  the  works  of  art. 
And  if  it  be  really  what  it  claims  to  be  —  The  Word  of  God  — 
should  not  this  be  the  case  ? 

In  this  principle  of  correspondence,  therefore,  according  to  which 
the  Word  is  composed,  we  discover  a  rule,  and  the  only  rule,  for 
the  spiritual  interpretation  of  the  Word  ;  —  a  rule,  as  we  have  seen, 
not  arbitrary,  nor  fanciful,  nor  of  any  man's  invention,  but  orderly, 
rational,  and  fixed  as  the  laws  of  creation.  Men  may  deny  and 
reject  it  if  they  will,  but  their  denial  and  rejection  can  never  alter 

its  truth. 

From  what  has  been  said  it  will  readily  be  seen,  that  if  the 
Word  be  composed  agreeably  to  the  law  of  correspondence  between 
natural  and  spiritual  things,  it  mvst  contain  an  external  and  an  in- 
ternal, or  a  natural  and  a  spiritual  sense  throughout.  And  such, 
as  we  learn  from  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  is  actually  the  case. 
Moreover,  it  has  been  shown  from  the  Scripture  itself,  in  the  two 
preceding  lectures,  not  only  that  it  is  necessary  to  admit  an  internal 
sense,  but  that  such  a  sense  does  actually  exist.  The  Word  in  its 
natural  sense,  as  we  all  know,  treats  much  of  things  personal, 
local,  and  temporary;  but  in  its  spiritual  sense,  it  treats  of  the 
eternal  laws  of  our  spiritual  fife, —  of  principles  which  are  univer- 
sal, and  which  have  a  hving  and  present  application  to  human 
Diinds,  in  all  times  and  in  all  places. 

Thus,  by  virtue  of  its  internal  sense,  the  Bible,  like  the  face  of 
nature,  is  forever  fresh  and  fragrant  with  beauty  and  with  love. 
The  words  of  the  Lord,  like  His  works,  are  everywhere  filled 
with  spirit  and  with  life. 

I  will  now  proceed  to  illustrate  the  importance  of  the  principle 
just  explained,  by  applying  it,  as  a  rule  of  spiritual  interpretation, 
to  some  portion  of  the  Word.  And  I  trust  that  in  doing  this,  the 
truth  of  the  principle  itself  will  be  made  to  appear  still  more  evi- 
dent. I  cannot  do  more  in  the  present  lecture,  however,  than  give 
13 


146 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


KEY    TO    THE   SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


14' 


a  very  genercil,  and  perhaps  quite  imperfect,  idea  of  the  Science 
of  Correspondences  in  its  application  to  the  interpretation  of  the 
Scripture. 

\  Take  first,  for  the  ilhistration  of  our  rule,  that  portion  of  the 
Word  embraced  in  the  first  three  chapters  of  Genesis,  and  which 
treats  of  the  creation  and  fall  of  man.  This  is  chosen  as  well  be- 
cause we  cannot  elicit  from  the  letter  of  the  text  a  meaning  that 
consists  with  reason  and  true  science,  as  because  there  has%een, 
and  is  still,  among  the  learned  in  the  Christian  Church,  so  much 
doubt  and  disagreement  in  regard  to  what  these  chapters  really 
mean  —  particularly  the  third  chapter,  which  contains  the  account 
of  man's  temptation  and  fall. 

As  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  has  commonly  been  regarded  as 
containing  an  account  of  the  creation  of  this  natural  world,  so  the 
third  chapter  has  generally  been  thought  to  contain  a  piece  of  lit- 
eral history  also  — (though  upon  this  point  theologians  have  not 
been,  and  are  not  at  the  present  day,  by  any  means  agreed).  Con- 
sequently much  labor  and  learning  have  been  expend°ed  in  fruitless 
endeavors  to  ascertain  upon  what  precise  spot  of  this  natural  globe 
the  garden  of  Eden  was  located  ;  and  pages -perhaps  it  micrht 
be  said  with  truth,  volumes-^  of  absurd  and  foolish  stuff  have 
been  written  about  the  forbidden  tree  and  its  fruit,  and  the  proba- 
ble kmd  of  animal  meant  by  t/^e  serpent,  Not  a  few,  in  their  fan- 
ciful speculations,  have  supposed  the  forbidden  fruit  to  have 
been  apples. 

But  I  will  not  weary  my  readers  with  the  many  absurd  and  ridi- 
culous things,  which  men,  following  the  blind  guide  of  their  self-in- 
telligence, have  written  upon  this  portion  of  the  Word.     Forget- 
tmg  that  the  Lord's  words  are  spirit  and  life,  they  have  been  ever 
lookmg  oniward  upon  the  world  of  nature  for  the  garden  of  Eden 
the  serpent,  and  the  forbidden  fruit,  instead  of  looking  inward  upon 
their  own  souls  for  the  spiritual  principles  denoted  by  these  thino-s 
And  when  we  consider  the  mass  of  absurdity  that  has  been  writ- 
ten upon  this  chapter,  and  the  strange  conclusions  which  have  been 
deduced  from  it,  can  we  wonder  much  at  the  language  of  that  cele- 
brated infidel,  Diderot,  when  he  says  :    -  The  God  of  the  Chris- 
tians for  an   apple,  punished  all  the  human  race   and  killed  his 
own  son.     This   only  proves   that  God  is  a  father,  who   makes 
a  great  deal  to  do  about  his  apples,  and  cares  very  little  for  his 
*Muldren." 

I  ask  if  it  be  not  professing   Christians  themselves,  who  have 


) 


put  this  profane   language  into  the  mouth  of  that  infidel  writer  ? 
But  to  our  work  of  interpretation. 

Accordinof  to  the  writincrs  of  the  New  Church,  the  first  eleven 
chapters  of  Genesis  do  not  contain  a  literal  history,  as  has  com- 
monly been  supposed  ;  but  true  history  commences  with  the  call 
of  Abraham  at  chap.  xii.  Nevertheless  it  is  taught  by  Sweden- 
borg,  that  these  first  chapters  of  Genesis  make  a  part  of  the  Word 
of  God,  and  are  therefore  divinely  inspired,  being  written  according 
to  correspondences.  And  the  reason  why  they  are  composed  in 
the  historical  form,  is,  because  the  most  ancient  race  of  men,  who, 
on  account  of  their  innocence,  had  a  perception  of  the  internal 
quality,  and  hence  of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  everything  around 
them,  took  peculiar  delight,  not  only  in  clothing  their  affections  and 
thoughts  with  correspondent  natural  imagery,  but  also  in  arranging 
that  imagery  into  a  historical  series.  *'  They  not  only,"  says 
Swedenborg,  "  expressed  themselves  by  representatives,  but  also 
reduced  their  thoughts  into  a  kind  of  historical  series  or  arrange- 
ment, in  order  to  give  them  more  life,  and  in  this  they  found  the 
sweetest  delight  and  entertainment."  —  A.  C.  n.  66. 

Hence,  according  to  our  author,  Adam,  who  is  said  in  the  first 
chapter  of  Genesis,  to  have  been  created  an  image  and  likeness  of 
God,  does  not  mean  any  particular  individual  by  that  name,  as 
generally  supposed,  and  as,  indeed,  appears  in  the  literal  sense  ; 
but  this  name  denotes  the  most  ancient  Church,  or  all  the  men  who 
belonged  to  that  Church.  In  a  sense  abstracted  from  persons,  it 
signifies  the  genuine  principles  both  of  love  and  faith,  which  con- 
stituted the  essence  and  life  of  that  Church  —  which  are,  indeed,  the 
essence  and  life  of  every  true  Church. 

Moreover,  we  are  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church, 
that  all  the  proper  names  mentioned  in  Scripture,  which,  in  their 
literal  sense  apply  to  particular  persons,  in  their  spiritual  sense 
denote  universal  principles  of  the  human  mind,  either  in  true  or  in 
perverted  order.  Each  name  being  given  by  inspiration  of  God, 
has,  therefore,  an  internal  sense,  in  which  it  denotes  some  specific 
but  universal  principle  of  the  Church,  or  the  human  mind.  And 
herein  Swedenborg  agrees  with  w^hat  the  Apostle  teaches,  viz  :  that 
**  no  Scripture  is  of  any  private  interpretation."  If  names  were 
limited  in  their  application  to  particular  individuals,  the  interpreta- 
tion evidently  would  be  private.  Besides,  it  is  well  known  to  those 
acquainted  with  the  Hebrew  language,  that  all  the  proper  names  in 
that  language  are  significant.     Thus,  for  example,  Judah  signifies 


148 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


the  praise  of  the  Lord  ;  Melchizedek  sigt,if5es  king  of  righteousness; 
/fli'Tc  '^"''''  °'"  *'^^"'^'''  ^''''*'''  ''^'^''  industry  or 

That  Adam  does  not  denote  any  particular  individual,  but  the 
pnnc.ples  of  love  and  truth,  or  charity  and  faith  perfectly  united  in 
the  human  mind  -  as  they  were  in  the  minds  of  the  men  of  the 
most  ancient  Church- appears  evident  from  the  chapter  where 
th.s  name  IS  first  mentioned.  For  it  is  written  (  Gen.  i.  26 ),  "And 
God  said  let  us  make  man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness  and  let 
them  have  dominion  over  the  fish  of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowls  of 
the  air,  &c.  And  m  the  next  verse,  "  So  God  created  man  in  his 
own  image,  m  the  image  of  God  created  He  him  ;  male  and  female 
created  He  then.."  And  again  (Gen.  v.  2.)  :  ..Male  and  ma 
created  He  them  ;  and  blessed  them,  and  called  their  name  AdZ" 

Adam'  A   H      \     \'^  '^f  ^°'''  ''''  '""^'^  ^"'i  f^'"'*'^  «-«re  called 
Adam     And  not  only  so,  but  it  is  said  in  the  first  chapter  that  H.. 

created  both  of  them  on  the  sixth  day  :  whereas  no  menlii  Is  ma" 
of  the  crea  ion  of  the  woman  Eve,  until  near  the  close  of  the  second 
chapter,  which  appears  to  be  some  time  after  the  Lord  had  rested 
on  the  seventh  day.  *^  '*" 

Now  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  according  to  which  I 
have  said  the  whole  Word  is  written,  male  signifies  tl^  intellectual 
princp  e  of  the  Church,  or  of  any  man  of  tlfe  Church  _  to'X 
with  all  of  understanding,  thought,  and  the  truths  of  faith   which 
appertain  to  that  principle;  and  female  signifies  the  will-p'.inciple 
ot  the  Church,  or  of  any  man  -  together  with  all  of  love,  affection 
and  the  goods  of  charity,  which  appertain  to  this  principle.     Swe- 
denborg  says  :  "  The  most  ancient  Church  called  the  nndoistandin.. 
in  the  spiritual  man  male,  ^nd  the  will /mc/,,  which  when  the? 
acted  in  unity  they  styled  a  marriage  :  from  that  Church  was 
derived  a  form  of  speaking,  which  became  usual,  that  the  Church 
Itself,  by  reason  of  the  affection  of  good,  was  called  daughter  and 

S'^'T;  "  -''."T  ^""'  '''"  ^'^»'"  Jei^salem!  and' also 
wife.       We  see,  in  the  characteristic  mental  qualities  of  the  two 

sexes,  an  i  lustration  of  the  correspondence  and  internal  sense  of  the 
terms  male  and  female.  For  the  male  of  our  species,  is  pre- 
eminent y  a  form  of  the  understanding ;  while  the  female  is  pre- 
eminently a  form  of  affection.  ^ 

I  have  said  that  all  things  in  the  natural  world  correspond  to 
spiritual  principles,  which  appertain  to  the  human  mind      There 
fore,  when  natural  things  are  mentioned  in  the  Word,  they  signify 


HEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


149 


\ 


A 


these  spiritual  principles.     Consequently  the  crea  ion  and  orderly 
arrangement  of  all  natural  things  correspond  to  and  signify  the 
newspirUual  creation;  i.  e.,  the  renewal  of  man's  spirit,  and  the 
orderly  arrangement  in  his  mind  of  all  spiritual  principles.     And 
so  we  are  taught  in  the  writings  of  Swedenborg  that  the  first  chap- 
ter of  Genesis,  which  appears  to  treat  of  the  creation  of  this  natu- 
ral world,  does  in  reality  treat  of  the  regeneration  of  man,  and 
describes,  by  correspondences,  the  spiritual  changes  and  operations 
which  take  place  in  the  human  mind  ;  or  the  works  which  the 
Lord  performs  within  man  while  He  is  creating  him  anew  into  His 
own  image   and  likeness.     The  mind  of  the  natural  man  is  in  a 
state  of  spiritual  darkness,  disorder,  and  emptiness.   Hence,  before 
regeneration,  or  before  the  spirit  of  God  moves  upon  the  faces  of 
the  waters,  his  state  corresponds  to,  and  is  therefore  represented 
by,  the  earth  *   when   it  "  was  without  form  and  void  ;  and  dark- 
ness brooded  over  the  faces  of  the  deep."     But  when  the  intel- 
lectual principle  of  man  is  illumined  from  the  Word,  and  is  formed 
according  to  Divine  Wisdom,  i.  e.,  when  a  man  thinks  and  under- 
stands notiimg  but  what  is  in  agreement  with  Divine  Truth  —  and 
when  his  will  principle  is  formed  into  an  agreement  with  the  Divine 
Love,  t.  e.,  when  the  man  wills  and  loves  nothing  but  what  Divine 
Truth  teaches  to  be  good  and  right -then  there  exists  in  his  mind 
the  celestial  marriage  of  goodness  and  truth.     His  will  and  under 
standing  act  together  in  perfect  union.     The  man  becomes  a  limng 
soul.     He   IS  then  spiritually  created,  male  and  female ;  for  both 
his  understanding  and  his  will  are  formed  anew,  and  he  is  made  into 
the  image  and  likeness  of  God.     Image  is  here  predicated  of  the 
understanding  when  formed  into  an  agreement  witii  the  Divine 
Truth ;  and  likeness,  of  the  will,  when  formed  into  an  a.^reement 
with  the  Divine  Love.     And  because  man  is  not  able  to  regenerate 
himself- because  Divme  Truth  from  the  Lord  illumines  hfs  under- 
standing and  so  forms  it  into  an  image  of  itself,  and  Divine  Love 


The  Hebrew  word  n^nx  ( adamah  )  which  is  translated  earth  is  a  deriva- 
tive  from  Dn;<   ( adam  )    which   is   translated    Adam,   and  sometimes  man 
And   inasmuch  as  the  earth,  together  with  all  things  appertaining  to  it  sub-' 
sists  by  an  influx  of  human  principles  from  the  spiritual  world  and  hence 
represents,  by  correspondence,  all  the  principles  of  the  human  mind  or  of  ihl 

t^tS^     TTrT'  I'"''"''  '''  ""y  ""  '"'"''  ""-  mentioned  iu 
the  Word,  denotes  the  Church,  as  was  shown  in  a  former  lecture  ■  and  also 

why  Adam  signifies  the  most  ancient  Church,  or  any  Church  in  a  st'ate  of  true 


150 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


from  the  Lord  vivifies  his  will  and  also  creates  that  into  a  likeness 
of  itself,  and  Divine  Power  from  the  Lord  enables  him  to  resist 
and  put  away  evil  and  do  what  the  truth  requires,  therefore  this 
creation  is  spoken  of  as  the  work  of  God. 

The  six  days*  work  mentioned  in  this  chapter,  correspond  to  and 
signify  all  the  states  of  spiritual  labor  —  all  the  temptations  and 
combats  with  evil  spirits,  which  man  has  to  endure  while  he  is 
becoming  regenerated.  And  the  seventh  day  which  is  called  the 
Sabbath,  and  the  Lord's  day,  corresponds  to  and  signifies  a  stale 
of  internal  peace  and  rest ;  such  a  state  as  a  man  arrives  at  when 
he  has  overcome  and  subdued  in  himself  all  infernal  propensiiies, 
and  rests  from  his  spiritual  warfare.  This  state  is  called  the  Lord's 
day,  because  it  is  one  in  which  the  man  suffers  himself  in  all  thinos 
to  be  led  and  governed  by  the  Lord.  Moreover  Sabbath,  in  the 
Hebrew  language,  means  rest. 

Those  who  desire  to  know  the  correspondence  and  internal  sense 
of  each  particular  thing  mentioned  in  this  chapter,  are  referred  to 
the  first  volume  of  Swedenboro's  Arcana  Coelestia.  The  foUowino- 
is  a  very  brief  exposition  of  its  internal  sense,  in  the  author's  own 
lancruaofe : 

"  The  six  days,  or  times,  which  are  so  many  successive  states  of  the 
regeneration  of  man,  are  in  general  as  follows  : 

"  The  first  state  is  that  which  precedes,  as  well  that  from  infancy 
as  that  immediately  before  regeneration,  and  is  called  void,  emptiness, 
and  thick  darkness.  And  the  first  motion,  which  is  the  mercy  of  the 
Lord,  is  the  spirit  of  God  moving  itself  on  the  faces  of  the  waters. 

"  The  second  state  is,  when  a  distinction  takes  place  between  the 
things  which  are  of  the  Lord,  and  the  things  which  are  proper  to  man: 
the  things  which  are  of  the  Lord  are  called  in  the  Word  remains,  and 
are  here  principally  the  knowledges  of  faith,  which  man  has  learned 
from  infancy,  which  are  stored  up,  and  are  not  manifested  till  he  comes 
into  this  state  :  which  state  at  this  day  seldom  exists  without  tempta- 
tion, misfortune,  or  sorrow,  which  effect,  that  the  things  which  i.re  of 
the  body  and  the  world,  consequently  which  are  proper  to  him,  become 
quiet,  and  as  it  were  die.  Thus  the  things  which  are  of  the  external 
man  are  separated  from  the  things  which  are  of  the  internal :  in  the 
internal  are  the  remains,  stored  up  by  the  Lord  till  this  time,  and  for 
this  use. 

"  The  third  state  is,  that  of  repentance  ;  in  which,  from  the  internal 
man,  he  speaks  piously  and  devoutly,  and  brings  forth  goods,  as  the 
works  of  charity,  but  which  nevertheless  are  inanimate,  because  he 
considers  them  from  himself :  and  they  are  called  the  tender  grass, 
then  the  herb  of  seed,  and  afterward  the  tree  of  fruit. 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


161 


**  The  foxLrth  state  is,  when  he  is  affected  with  love,  and  illuminated 
by  faith  :  he  before  discoursed  piously,  and  brought  forth  goods,  but 
from  the  state  of  temptation  and  distress,  not  from  faith  and  charity; 
wheretbre  these  are  now  enkindled  in  his  internal  man,  and  are  called 
two  luminaries. 

"  Thejifth  state  is,  that  he  discourseth  from  faith,  and  thereby  con- 
firms himself  in  truth  and  good  :  the  things  then  produced  by  him  are 
animated,  and  are  called  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  and  the  birds  of  the 
heavens. 

"  The  sixth  state  is,  when  from  faith,  and  thence  from  love,  he 
speaks  truths,  and  does  goods  ;  the  things  which  he  then  produces 
are  called  the  living  soul,  and  beast.  And  because  he  then  begins 
also  to  act  from  love,  as  well  as  from  faith,  he  becomes  a  spiritual  man, 
which  is  called  an  image.  His  spiritual  life  is  delighted  and  sustained 
by  such  things  as  are  of  the  knowledges  of  faith,  and  of  works  of 
charity,  which  are  called  his  meat ;  and  his  natural  life  is  delighted 
and  sustained  by  such  things  as  belong  to  the  body  and  the  senses, 
from  whence  a  combat  arises,  until  love  reigns,  and  he  becomes  a 
celestial  man." 

Now  when  a  man  has  been  brought  into  this  fully  regenerate 
state,  which  is  denoted  by  Adam  —  when  he  has  become  an  im- 
age and  likeness  of  the  Lord,  having  his  thoughts  all  of  truth  and 
his  affections  all  of  love,  then  his  mind  is  in  a  state  of  heavenly 
order,  and  he  experiences  internal  but  unspeakable  joy,  rest, 
delight,  and  peace.  And  so  long  as  he  continues  to  acknowledge 
the  Lord  as  the  source  of  all  his  sweet  affections  and  fragrant 
thoughts,  so  long  he  receives  the  delights  of  true  life  from  their 
eternal  Fountain,  and  is  unspeakably  happy. 

This  heavenly  state  of  mind  is  what  corresponds  to,  and  is 
therefore  denoted  by,  the  garden  of  Eden,  wherein  it  is  said  the 
man  was  placed  after  he  had  been  created.  In  the  writings  of 
Swedenborg,  we  are  taught  that  all  the  names  of  places  mentioned 
in  the  Word,  correspond  to,  and  thence  signify,  certain  states  of 
the  mind,  or  of  the  Church  with  man.  A  garden  corresponds  to 
and  signifies  intelligence,  and  Eden*  love.  Therefore  the  garden 
of  Eden  corresponds  to  and  signifies  that  celestial  state  of  mind, 
in  which  man,  by  virtue  of  the  purity  and  disinterestedness  of  his 
love,  receives  true  intelligence  and  wisdom  from  the  Lord,  and  en- 
joys the  purest  delights  of  life. 

That  the  garden  of  Eden  here  mentioned  does  not  signify  any 
particular  spot  of  natural    earth,  but   a   certain  slate  of  man's 

*  Eden,  in  the  Hebrew  language,  means  pleasure  or  delight 


J  52 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


affections  and  thoughts,  is  manifest  from  the  mention  made  of  it  in 
Ezekiel  xxviii.  13.  It  is  there  said  concerning  the  king  of  Tyrus, 
**  Thou  has  been  in  Eden,  the  garden  of  God  ;  every  precious 
stone  was  thy  covering/'  Now  it  is  a  common  opinion  that  no 
one  ever  entered  the  garden  of  Eden  after  Adam  was  expelled 
from  it ;  and  certainly,  if  a  hteral  garden  is  to  be  understood,  it 
is  quite  improbable  that  this  king  of  Tyre  could  ever  have  been  in 
it;  for,  according  to  common  chronology,  he  was  not  born  till 
more  than  3000  years  after  Adam's  expulsion  from  Eden. 

No.  —  Men  of  learning  may  cease  their  fruitless  search  for  the 
garden  of  Eden  upon  some  spot  of  this  natural  earth  ;  for  sure  it  is 
they  will  never  find  it  there.  Nowhere  in  this  outward  world,  but 
only  in  the  soul  of  man  —  in  the  regenerate  and  well  ordered 
mind  — is  the  true  garden  of  Eden,  the  paradise  of  God.  Who- 
ever hath  his  understanding  enlightened  by  the  Divine  Truth,  and 
his  Avill  vivified  and  actuated  by  the  Divine  Love,  having  all  his 
affections  and  thoughts  brought  into  agreement  with  the  will  and 
wisdom  of  God,  and  is  thus  made  a  living  soul— spiritually  crea- 
ted anew  after  the  image  and  likeness  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  — 
he  is  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  and  every  precious  stone  is  his  cover- 
ing ;  for  all  the  precious  truths  of  Revelation  (  which  are  the 
things  denoted  by  precious  stones  )  are  his  spiritual  protection  and 
covering  — the  fullness  and  perfection  of  his  wisdom,  the  ornament 
and  beauty  of  his  mind. 

Thus  doth  the  Lord  now,  as  in  the  most  ancient  times,  place  in 
the  garden  of  Eden  every  one  whom  He  creates  a  living  soul  after 
his  own  image  and  likeness.  And  there,  too,  ''He  causes  to 
grow  every  tree  that  is  pleasant  to  the  sight  and  good  for  food.*' 
For  in  this  celestial  state,  He  causes  to  spring  up  in  the  mind  the 
spiritual  things  to  which  beautiful  trees  and  delicious  fruits  corres- 
pond—those clear  perceptions  and  blissful  loves,  which  delioht 
and  nourish  the  soul  of  man :  —  -  The  Tree  of  life  also  in  the  midst 
of  the  garden.^' 

And  since  the  garden  of  Eden  denotes  not  a  place,  but  a  certain 
state  of  the  human  mind,  it  is  obvious  that  the  Tree  of  Life  in  its 
midst  cannot  be  understood  as  denoting  any  natural  tree,  but  the 
inmost  and  life-giving  principle  of  all  man's  intelligence  and  affec- 
tions. Every  man  has  some  ruling  love,  and  according  to  its 
quality,  is  the  quality  of  all  his  subordinate  loves.  This  rulino- 
love  is  in  all  his  affections  and  thoughts,  and  forms  their  inmos't 
principle.     Hence  it  is  in  their  midst     The  affections  of  the  natural 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


153 


man  are  all  selfish,  because  his  ruling  love  is  the  love  of  himself. 
But  the  supreme  love  of  the  angels,  and  of  all  men  who  are  like 
angels  —  all  who  are  in  a  state  of  mind  denoted  by  the  garden  of 
Eden  —  is,  love  to  the  Lord.  They  perceive  and  acknowledge  that 
the  Lord  alone  is  Life,  and  the  living  source  of  all  their  intelligence 
and  love.  And  because  they  love  Him  supremely,  and  look  to 
Him  in  all  things,  therefore  He  is  the  Tree  of  Life  in  the  midst  of 
their  garden.  Tree,  in  a  subordinate  sense,  corresponds  to  and 
signifies  the  Church,  or  a  man  of  the  Church,  in  respect  to  both 
faith  and  charity  :  its  leaves  correspond  to  the  truths  of  faith,  and 
its  fruit  to  the  goods  of  charity.  And  since  the  Lord  is  the  only 
life,  and  the  only  source  of  goodness  and  truth  to  men,  therefore 
Tree  is  here  used  in  its  supreme  sense,  because  it  is  called  the  Tree 
of  Life  ;  and  it  signifies  the  Lord  as  to  his  divine,  life-giving  wis- 
dom and  love. 

While  man  remains  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  this  Tree  of  Life 
must  be  in  the  midst.  For  while  he  remains  in  a  celestial  state, 
he  loves  the  Lord  supremely,  and  acknowledges  Him  as  the  in- 
most, source,  and  fife,  of  all  his  affections  and  thoughts.  And 
while  he  lives  in  the  performance  of  good  uses  from  the  Lord, 
acknowledging  Him  as  the  inmost  and  supreme  source  of  all  his 
will,  and  wisdom,  and  power  to  do  good,  he  eats  the  fruit  of  this 
Tree  of  Life  ;  for  then  his  mind  is  continually  fed  and  nourished 
with  the  heavenly  graces  of  innocence,  mercy,  forbearance,  peace, 
wisdom,  intelligence,  humility,  and  love ;  and  these,  with  all  other 
heavenly  principles,  become  appropriated  to  him,  and  as  it  were, 
incorporated  into  his  spiritual  being. 

As  there  is  spiritual  food  or  things  which  nourish  the  mind,  cor- 
responding to  natural  food  or  things  which  nourish  the  body,  so 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  spiritual  eating,  which  corresponds  to  nat- 
ural eating ;  and  to  eat,  spiritually,  is  to  receive  into  our  minds  the 
spiritual  things  of  truth  and  love  in  such  a  manner  that  they  be- 
come appropriated  to  our  spirits,  and  incorporated  with  them,  as 
natural  food  is  appropriated  to,  and  incorporated  with,  our  bodies. 
Hence  the  Lord  saith  :  *' Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my 
blood,  hath  eternal  life."  (John  vi.  54.)  i^/^s/i  corresponds  to  and 
signifies  the  good  of  love  ;  and  hlood  corresponds  to  and  signifies  the 
truth  by  which  that  good  is  nourished  and  made  spiritually  alive.  To 
eat  the  Lord's  flesh,  therefore,  signifies  to  have  the  good  of  His  divine 
love  incorporated  with  our  will ;  and  to  drink  His  hlood  signifies  to 
have  the  truth  of  His  divine  Wisdom  or  Word  incorporated  with 


154 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


our  understanding.  Whoever  is  in  this  state,  lives  from  the  Lord, 
and  hath  eternal  life.  Nor  can  there  be  any  true  heavenly  life 
without  this  substantial  food,  wherewith  the  Lord  feeds  our  souls, 
and  which  is,  indeed,  the  spiritual  flesh  and  blood  of  His  own  Di- 
vine Body.  Wherefore  it  is  written  :  **  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of 
the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  His  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you." 
(John  vi.  63.) 

Now  while  the  regenerate  man  is  eating  the  fruit  of  the  Tree  of  Life 
in  the  manner  here  described,  he  is  at  the  same  time  dressing  and 
keeping  the  garden,  wherein  the  Lord  God  hath  placed  him  ;  for 
he  is  cherishing  and  preserving  the  Hfe  of  all  celestial  principles  — 
those  heavenly  plants  which  spring  up  and  blossom  in  his  mind, 
and  make  his  state  a  true  gfarden  of  Eden. 

But  another  tree  is  spoken  of  in  this  garden,  the  very  name  of 
which  shows  us  that  a  natural  tree  cannot  be  meant.  It  is  *'  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  [or  science]  of  good  and  evil."  We  per- 
ceive by  its  name  that  its  fruits  are  spiritual.  Now  when  man 
lives  in  the  acknowledgment  that  the  Lord  is  the  only  source  of 
goodness  and  truth,  and  is  in  the  constant  endeavor  to  perform 
good  uses,  not  from  himself,  nor  for  the  sake  of  himself,  but  from 
the  Lord  and  for  the  sake  of  the  neighbor,  he  knows  nothing  but 
good ;  for  he  then  eats  only  of  the  Tree  of  Life,  which  is  alto- 
gether good ;  and  therefore  he  is  blessed  in  the  reception  of  true  life 
from  the  Lord.  Such  was  the  state  of  the  most  ancient  church 
denoted  by  Adam.  But  so  far  as  man  thinks  that  he  lives  of  him- 
self—  that  he  does  good  and  originates  truth  of  himself —  so  far 
he  turns  away  from  the  Lord  to  his  own  self-intelligence,  thinking 
that  of  himself  he  knows  good  and  evil. 

Man's  self-derived  intelligence,  therefore,  which  contains  within  it 
the  love  of  being  as  God,  knowing  good  and  evil,  is  what  is  de- 
noted by  '*  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil."  And  as 
often  as  man  performs  any  act,  however  fair  its  outward  appear- 
ance mav  be,  and  does  not  in  his  heart  ascribe  all  the  honor  and 
glory  of  it  to  the  only  Lord  and  Saviour,  but  takes  merit  to  him- 
self for  the  good  which  he  does  and  the  truth  which  he  speaks  — 
so  often  he  plucks  and  eats  the  fruit  of  that  forbidden  tree,  whose 
very  touch  is  pollution,  and  whose  taste  is  spiritual  death. 

These  two  trees  are  said  to  have  been  placed  in  the  garden,  to 
denote  the  perfect  freedom  in  which  man  is  left,  even  in  his  regen- 
erate state,  to  turn  either  to  the  Lord  or  to  himself ;  —  to  eat  either 
of  the  Tree  which  is  in   the  midst  of  the  garden,  and  enjoy  true 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL   SENSE. 


155 


life,  or  of  **  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,"  and  suf- 
fer spiritual  death. 

And  this,  it  should  be  remarked,  agrees  with  Swedenborg's  ac- 
count of  the  origin  of  evil,  which  is  the  only  rational  account  of 
it  that  has  been  or  can  be  given.  Upon  this  subject  he  says,  in 
his  treatise  on  Conjugial  Love,  n.  443  : 

"  This  arcanum  cannot  be  opened,  unless  it  be  known,  that  no 
one  is  good  but  God  alone,  and  that  there  is  not  anything  good 
which  in  itself  is  good,  except  from  God ;  wherefore  he  that  looks 
to  God,  and  wills  to  be  led  by  God,  is  in  good ;  but  he  that  turns 
himself  away  from  God,  and  wills  to  be  led  by  himself,  is  not  in  good  ; 
for  the  good  which  he  does,  is  either  for  the  sake  of  himself,  or  for 
the  sake  of  the  world,  thus  it  is  either  meritorious,  or  counterfeit,  or 
hypocritical  ;  from  which  it  is  manifest,  that  man  himself  is  the  origin 
of  evil  ;  not  that  that  origin  was  put  into  man  from  creation,  but  that 

he  himself,  by  turning  from  God  to  himself,  put  it  into  himself 

Man  was  created,  that  all  that  he  wills,  thinks,  and  does,  may  appear 
to  him  as  in  himself,  and  thus  from  himself;  man,  without  this  appear- 
ance would  not  be  man,  for  he  would  not  be  able  to  receive,  to  retain, 
and,  as  it  were,  appropriate  to  himself  anything  of  good  and  truth,  or 
of  love  and  wisdom ;  whence  it  follows,  that,  without  that  as  it  were 
living  appearance,  man  would  not  have  cojunction  with  God,  and 
thence  neither  eternal  life.  But  if  from  this  appearance  he  induces 
in  himself  a  belief  that  he  wills,  thinks,  and  thence  does  good  from 
himself,  and  not  from  the  Lord,  although  in  all  appearance  as  from  him- 
self, he  turns  good  into  evil  with  himself,  and  thus  makes  in  himself 
the  origin  of  evil  :  this  was  the  sin  of  Adam  [or  the  most  Ancient 
Church]." 

I  think  every  one  will  acknowledge  the  reasonableness  of  this. 

We  know  there  is  a  principle  in  man  —  it  is  the  very  outermost 
or  lowest  principle  of  the  mind  —  which  would  judge  of  every- 
thino-  from  the  outward  appearance, —  by  the  senses  alone.  It  is, 
therefore,  called  the  sensual  principle  of  the  mind.  This  principle 
would  persuade  us  that  there  is  no  God  besides  ourselves,  because  we 
do  not  see  Him  with  our  natural  eyes.  It  would  persuade  us  that 
the  obvious  and  hteral  sense  of  Scripture  is  its  true  and  only  sense. 
—  that  the  Word  has  no  spiritual  meaning,  and  is  altogether  like  a 
human  composition,  because  it  so  appears.  It  would  persuade  us 
that  we  live,  do  good,  and  originate  truth  of  ourselves,  because 
such  is  the  appearance.  Thus  it  would  persuade  us  that  we  have 
an  independent,  self-derived  existence,  and  are  as  God,  knowmg 
good  and  evil. 


156 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


Now  when  this  principle,  separate  from  all  others,  descends  into 
nature,  and  there  becomes  clothed  in  a  material  garb,  because  it 
is  the  lowest  principle  of  the  mind,  being  nearly  allied  to  the  cor- 
poreal, it  is  seen  embodied  in  the  form  of  a  serpent.  This  is  its 
appropriate  form  and  natural  representative.  A  serpent  therefore, 
corresponds  to,  and,  when  mentioned  in  the  Word,  signifies  this  low 
and  sensual  principle  of  the  mind  :  and  the  speech  or  language  of 
the  serpent,  denotes  the  reasonings  of  this  principle,  or,  what  is 
the  same,  of  the  persons  who  are  under  its  influence  ;  such,  fur 
example,  are  the  reasonings  of  the  natural  man  when  he  labors  to 
confirm  the  mere  appearances  of  truth  —  whether  in  the  volume  of 
nature  or  revelation  —  as  the  genuine  truth  itself.  And  because  he 
does  this  in  a  cunning  and  artful  manner,  appealing  to  the  evidence 
of  the  senses,  therefore  the  serpent  is  said  to  be  *'more  subtle  than 
any  beast  of  the  field,  which  Jehovah  God  had  made."  Hence  it 
is  said  in  Psalms,  concerning  those  who  seduce  men  by  their  carnal 
or  sensual  reasonings,  "  They  sharpen  their  tongue  like  a  serpent  ; 
adders'  poison  is  under  their  lips.''  (cxl.  3.)  And  again  :  **  Theii^ 
poison  is  like  the  poison  of  a  serpent."     (Iviii.  4.) 

That  a  serpent  has  this  spiritual  signification,  and  consequently, 
when  used  in  the  Word,  denotes  all  those  who  are  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  sensual  principle,  is  manifest  from  many  passages. 
Thus  the  Lord  called  the  Jewish  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ••  Serpents 
—  a  generation  of  vipers.'*  (Matt,  xxiii.  33.)  Of  course  He  did 
not  mean  that  they  were  literally  such  ;  but  that  they  were  spir- 
itually such,  from  correspondence  —  because  their  mmds  were  of 
that  gross  and  sensual  character  to  which  the  serpent  corresponds  ; 
because  their  interiors  were  full  of  all  kinds  of  evils  ;  because  they 
were  under  the  dominion  of  hell,  "  that  old  serpjent,  called  the  Devil 
and  Satan,  which  deceiveth  the  whole  world."  That  it  was  on  tliis 
account  that  the  Lord  called  the  Jews  *'  serpents'"  and  "a  viperous 
generation^'  is  evident  from  the  context ;  for  these  words  occur  in 
the  same  chapter,  and  immediately  after  the  repeated  and  severe 
denunciations  which  He  utters  -against  them,  because  they  were 
**like  unto  whited  sepulchres,  which  indeed  appear  beautiful  out- 
ward, but  within  are  full  of  the  bones  of  the  dead,  and  of  all 
uncleanness."     {y.  27.) 

Again  :  there  is  another  principle  in  man,  which,  while  it  inclines 
him  to  love  goodness  and  truth,  inclines  him  also  to  love  the  merit 
of  them,  and  thus  to  believe  and  claim  them  as  his  own  or  self- 
derived.     This  aff'ection —  this  love  of  claiming  good  and  truth  iia 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE. 


157 


our  own  and  self-derived,  is  ever  ready  to  grant  a  listening  ear  to 
the  crafty  insinuations  of  the  serpent  or  sensual  principle,  because 
this  principle  endeavors  to  persuade  us,  by  many  aprpearances,  of 
the  very  thing  which  we  desire  to  believe,  viz  :  that  we  do  live  and 
are  wise  of  ourselves.    This  afltection  therefore,  is  what  is  denoted  by 
the  woman  whom  the  serpent  tempted.      Wmmn,  in  a  good  sense, 
corresponds  to  and  signifies  aff'ection  for  truth.    But  when  listening 
to  the  suggestions  of  the  serpent,  as  in  the  present  instance,  it 
denotes  the  love  of  self-derived  intelligence.     Now  when  this  love 
yields  to  the  artful  reasonings  of  the  sensual  principle,  as  it  is  ever 
inclined  to  do,  and  the  man  begins  to  believe  that  he  lives,  is  wise, 
and  does  good  of  himself,  because  it  so  appears,  that   moment  he 
iurns  away  from  the  Tree  of  Life,  and  begins  to  eat  of  the  forbid- 
den tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.     And  when  man's 
aff'ection  for  truth  has  become  thus  debased  and  sensualized  — 
changed  into  the  aff'ection  of  self-derived  intelligence,  it  extends  its 
poisonous  influence  throughout  every  region  of  the  mind,  blindincr 
the  understanding  and  debasing  the  rational  principle  also  ;  and 
this  is  what  is  signified,  spiritually,  by  the  woman's  tempting  the 
man  to  eat.     By  man  is  here  denoted  the  rational  principle.     And 
in  this  state,  the  sensual  principle,  being  separated  from   the  spir- 
itual and  celestial,  and  turned  to  the  corporeal,  is  no  lonoer  in  the 
<rue  order  of  its  creation,  but  in   a  state  of  disobedience  to  the 
higher  principles  of  the  soul.     Therefore  it  is  accursed.     This  is 
what  is  spiritually  signified  by  the  sentence  pronounced  upon  the 
serpent,  ''  upon  thy  belly  shalt  thou  go,  and  dust  shalt  thou  eat  all 
the  days  of  thy  life."     And   not  only  so,  but  the  whole  land  is 
accursed,  bringing  forth  thorns  and  thistles  ;  that  is,  the  whole 
region  of  the  mind  is  disordered  and  debased,  giving  birth  to  infer- 
nal lusts  and  false  persuasions. 

Thus  did  the  serpent,  in  the  most  Ancient  Church,  tempt  the 
woman,  and  the  woman  the  man  ;  until  the  aff'ections  of  that  Church 
becoming  corrupted,  and  its  understanding  darkened,  it  gradually 
and  successively  fell  from  its  state  of  primitive  purity  and  inno- 
cence ;  and  thus  was  driven  out  from  the  garden  of  Eden  —  away 
from  the  peaceful  paradise  of  innocence  and  love. 

This  was  the  fall — the  fall  of  man  :  —  a  degraded  state  of  spir- 
itual blindness,  moral  imbecility,  and  internal  self-worship,  wherein 
all  men  by  inheritance  are  now  immersed  ;  and  from  which  state, 
whosoever  rises  so  as  to  feed  upon  the  true  and  living  Bread  which 
Cometh  down  from  heaven,  must  do  so  in  the  sweat  of  his  face; — by 


158 


THE   SACRED   SCRIPTURE. 


a  hard  struggle  against  his  evil  loves,  and  continual  watchfulness 
against  the  subtle  arts  of  the  serpent. 

Thus  we  may  discover  now,  in  every  mind,  the  principles  which 
correspond  to  and  are  denoted  by  the  serpent,  the  tree  of  the 
science  of  good  and  evil,  and  that  sinning  woman  Eve.  And  every 
man  who  depends  on  his  own  intelligence,  or  who  loves  himself 
more  than  the  Lord,  is  eating  of  that  forbidden  tree,  whose  fruit  is 
poison  to  the  life  of  heaven. 

Lt^t  no  one,  therefore,  think  ever  to  find  the  garden  of  Eden  out 
of  himself.  For  in  the  soul  —  the  purified  and  regenerate  soul  — 
are  the  essence  and  living  correspondences  of  all  the  lovely  places 
and  beautiful  forms  that  exist  in  the  natural  world  ;  —  of  all  the 
innocent  creatures  that  walk  and  fly  —  of  all  the  fair  and  fragrant 
flowers  that  overspread  the  earth.  Here,  or  nowhere,  is  to  be  found 
the  garden  of  Eden,  the  paradise  of  God. 

Thus  doth  this  Scripture,  once  cold  and  dead,  become  fresh  and 
living  truth.  Thus  by  **  the  key  of  knowledge"  which  is  now 
restored  to  us  in  the  revealed  Science  of  Correspondences  —  by  the 
touch,  as  it  were,  of  the  Lord's  finger  at  this  his  second  advent  — 
the  Sacred  Scripture  rises  from  the  dead,  and  is  presented  to  us 
glorious  in  wisdom  —  radiant  with  beauty —  all  warm  and  breathing 
with  the  Hfe  of  God. 


LECTURE   VII. 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE KEY    TO     THE     SPIRITUAL     SENSE     APPLIED, 

AND    ITS    IMPORTANCE    EXEMPLIFIED. 


*'  The  supper  of  the  great  God." —  Rev.  xix.  17. 


In  my  last  lecture  I  explained  the  nature  of  the  Science  of 
Correspondences,  according  to  which,  as  we  learn  from  Sweden- 
borg,  the  Sacred  Scripture  is  composed  throughout.  I  also  applied 
it  in  a  general  way  to  the  interpretation  of  a  few  things  in  that 
portion  of  the  Word  which  treats  of  the  creation  and  fall  of  man. 
I  endeavored  to  show  that  this  science  is  not  arbitrary,  nor  fanciful, 
but  that  it  has  its  foundation  in  that  immutable  relation  subsisting 
between  natural  and  spiritual  things,  as  between  efi'ect  and  cause: — 
that  it  expresses  a  law  of  divine  order  in  creation,  and  is,  there- 
fore, as  determinate  and  fixed  as  the  laws  of  light,  or  of  the 
planetary  motions.  And  because  all  things  in  the  natural  world 
subsist  from  a  spiritual  cause  —  because  this  law  of  correspondence 
between  forms  and  their  essence,  or  betAveen  natural  eflects  and 
the  spiritual  substances  which  enter  into  them  as  their  cause,  is  a 
necessary  law  in  creation,  it  is  a  law  of  order  necessary  also  in 
revelation.  The  Science  of  Correspondences,  therefore,  furnishes 
us  with  a  rule,  and  the  onlt/  rule,  as  1  have  before  said,  for  the  true 
spiritual  interpretation  of  the  Word  of  God. 

It  will  be  seen  on  adverting  to  the  previous  lecture,  that  li^/d, 
water,  and  blood  are  each  given  as  the  correspondent  and  represen- 
tative image  of  truth.  Those  who  are  unacquainted  with  this  sub- 
ject of  correspondences,  may  be  at  a  loss  to  understand  how  this 
can  be.  They  may  not  readily  perceive  how  diff'erent  natural 
things  can  correspond  to  and  signify  the  same  spiritual  principle, 
if  the  principle  and  the  thing  have  a  relation  like  that  existing 
between  cause  and  efi'ect.  How  this  is,  therefore,  shall  be  explained 
in  few  words. 

I  presume  it  will  be  admitted  by  all  that  nothing  was  made  in 
vain,  but  that  every  object  in  creation  has  some  specific  use  for 
which  it  was  created.  All  the  things  in  the  natural  world,  there- 
fore, taken  together,  present  us  with  an  endless  varietv  of  natural 

(169) 


160 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


uses.  So  there  are  all  orders  and  degrees  of  truth  in  the  Divine 
Humanity,  and  an  infinite  variety  of  spiritual  uses  which  truth  has 
to  perform  in  the  spiritual  creation,  or  regeneration  of  man.  The 
different  natural  objects,  therefore,  which  are  each  the  representa- 
tive image  of  truth,  and  which  have  each  a  different  use,  corres- 
pond to  and  signify  the  different  operations  or  uses  of  truth. 

Thus  light  corresponds  to  and  signifies  the  use  of  truth  in  illus- 
imting  human  minds  :  water  corresponds  to  truth  with  respect  to 
its  use  in  cleansing  the  mind  of  those  evil  principles  which  defile 
it.  And  as  water  has  many  other  uses  besides  that  of  cleansing, 
so  there  are  correspondent  spiritual  uses  which  truth  has  to  per- 
form in  the  mind.  But  when  man  not  only  knows  and  understands 
truth,  but  so  regulates  his  life  according  to  it  that  it  becomes  a 
vital  principle  of  his  being,  it  is  then  received,  as  it  were,  into  the 
spirit's  circulation,  and  its  use  is  such,  that  it  finds  its  correspond 
ing  natural  form  and  representative  image  in  blood. 

Thus  it  is,  that  all  the  different  representative  images  of  truth, 
whether  in  nature  or  in  art,  correspond  to  this  divine  principle  in  its 
various  forms,  degrees,  relations,  uses,  and  operations  in  man. 

I  proceed  now  to  give  some  further  confirmations  of  the  truth, 
and  illustrations  of  the  use,  of  the  Science  of  Correspondences. 
And  although  this  Science  is  equally  applicable  to  the  interpreta- 
tion of  the  plainer  portions  of  the  Word,  yet,  with  the  view  of 
showing  its  importance  more  clearly,  I  shall  select  for  illustration 
such  passages  as  are  either  unintelligible  in  their  hteral  sense,  or 
attended  with  more  or  less  difficulty.  In  the  narrow  limits  of  a 
single  lecture  all  I  can  hope  to  do,  is,  to  give  the  reader  some  gen- 
eral idea  of  the  application  of  this  science  to  the  interpretation  of 
the  Word. 

It  was  shown  in  a  preceding  lecture  that  what  is  recorded  in 
Genesis  concerning  the  flood,  cannot  be  received  as  true  in  the 
hteral  sense,  because  in  this  sense  it  teaches  what  is  manifestly 
contrary  to  the  truths  of  science.  But  in  its  spiritual  sense,  as 
unfolded  by  the  Science  of  Correspondences,  this  chapter  addresses 
man's  rational  faculty,  and  is  seen  to  be  perfectly  true  and  con- 
sistent throughout.  I  will  here  offer  a  few  hints,  which  may  furnish 
the  reader  with  a  clue  to  the  right  interpretation  of  the  whole 
chapter. 

Water,  I  have  said,  is  the  correspondent  of  truth.  But  it  is 
only  when  water  is  employed  in  some  of  its  appropriate  uses,  that 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


161 


It  has  this  correspondence.     If  people  employ  it,  as  they  may,  in 
drowmng  themselves  or  others,  or  in  destroying  any  Hving  thino- 
that  is  useful  upon  earth,  then  they  abuse  it,  or  convert  it  from  its 
appropriate  and  good  use,  into  an  evil  use.     There  should,  there- 
fore, be  something  to  which  water  corresponds  when  it  'is  thus 
abused,  or  turned  from  a  good  into  an  evil  use.     And  what  'else 
should  its  correspondence  then  be,  but  the  truth  misemployed,  or 
used  for  an  evil  end  ?     Truth  is  abused,  because  turned  from  its 
appropriate  use,  whenever  it  is  employed  to  favor  any  evil  love  ; 
and  since  genuine  truth  cannot  do  this  —  cannot  favor  anything 
that  is  evil  —  for  only  falsehood  is  in  agreement  with  evil,  therefore 
the  abuse  of  truth  imphes  its  conversion  into  falsity,   which  is 
opposite  ;  for  to  make  any  truth  favor  an  evil  love,  is  to  make  that 
truth  a  falsity.     Water,  therefore,  when  employed  for  any  purpose 
that  is  not  good,  corresponds  to  truth  when  used  to  favor  some  evil 
love  ;  thus  to  falsity,  because  truth  is  thereby  changed  into  falsity. 
From  this  opposite  correspondence  of  water,  we  may  learn  what 
is  signified  by  the  waters  of  the  flood  mentioned  in  the  chapter 
above  referred  to.     They  denote  the  falses  of  the  Ancient  Church, 
originating  in  its  evil  loves,  which  so  overwhelmed  the  minds  of  the 
men  of  that  Church,  that  the  pure  and  innocent  affections  of  char- 
ity—all the  things  of  heavenly  fife  —  perished.    And  this  is  what 
IS  denoted  by  that  flood's  destroying  every  living  creature  and  sub- 
stance upon  the  face  of  the  earth.     Earth  denotes  the  Church,  as 
we  have  before  said. 

The  internal  sense  of  the  whole  of  this  chapter  is  beautifully 
unfolded  in  the  first  volume  of  the  Arcana  Coelestia.  Without 
entering  further  now  into  the  meaning  of  the  particular  things 
there  mentioned,  I  will  quote  Swedenborg's  exposition  of  verse 
19,  where  it  is  thus  written :  ''And  the  waters  prevailed  exceedino- 
exceedingly  upon  the  earth,  and  all  the  high  mountains  were  cov"^ 
ered,  which  were  under  the  heaven." 

"  That  waters,  in  this  and  in  the  following  verses,  signify  falses, 
may  appear  from  those  passages  of  the  Word,  which  were  quoted  in 
the  introduction  to  this  chapter,  and  also  in  the  explication  of  verse  6, 
where  mention  is  made  of  a  flood,  or  inundation  of  waters.  It  was 
there  shown  that  inundations  of  waters  signify  desolations  and  temp- 
tations, which  imply  the  same  thing  as  falses,  for  desolations  and 
temptations  are  nothing  else  but  inundations  of  falses  excited  by  evil 
spirits.  That  such  waters  signify  falses  is  hence,  because  in  gen- 
eral waters  in  the  Word  signify  what  is  spiritual,  that  is,  what  is 
14 


162 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


intellectual,  rational,  and  scientific  :  and  because  these,  they  signify 
also  contrary  things  :  for  every  false  is  a  kind  of  scientific,  and  appears 
as  somewhat  rational  and  intellectual,  because  it  is  of  thought.     Thai 
waters  signify  things  spiritual,  appears  from  very  many  passages  in 
the  Word  ;  but  that  they  signify  also  falses,  the  following  passages 
may  Serve  as  proof,  besides  what  were  before  adduced  :  '  This  people 
hath  refused  the  waters  of  Shiloah  that  go  softly ;  therefore  behold, 
the  Lord  bringeth  up  upon  them  the  waters  of  the  river,  strong  and 
many  ;  and  he  shall  come  up  over  all  his  channels,  and  go  over  all  his 
banks,' Isaiah  viii.  6,7;  where  waters  going  softly  signify  things  spir- 
itual ;  waters  strong  and  many,  signify  falses.     Again,  in  the  same 
prophet :  '  When  thou  passest  through  the  waters  I  will  be  with  thee, 
and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee,'  xliii.  2  ;  where 
waters  and   rivers  signify  difficulties,  and   also  falses.     In  Ezekiel : 
*  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  When  I  shall  make  thee  a  vastated 
city,  as  the  cities  that  are  not  inhabited  ;  when  I  shall  bring  up  the 
abyss  upon  thee,  and  many  waters   shall  cover  thee  ;  when  I  shall 
bring  thee  down  with  them  that  go  down  into  the  pit,'  xxvi.  19,  20  ; 
where  waters  signify  evils  and   the  falses   thence.     In  John  :  '  The 
dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a  river,  that  he  might  cause  her 
to  be  swallowed  up  by  the  stream,'  Rev.  xii.  15,  16  ;  where  waters 
signify  falses  and  lies.     [Other  texts  are  cited  by  the  author,  which 
are  here  omitted.] 

"That  by  the  waters  prevailing  exceeding  exceedingly  upon  the 
earth,  are  signified  the  persuasions  of  the  false,  that  they  so  increased, 
appears  from  what  was  said  and  shown  above  concerning  waters,  viz  : 
that  the  waters  of  a  flood,  or  of  an  inundation,  signify  falses  :  whereas 
in  the  present  passage  are  signified  falses  increased,  or  the  persuasions 
of  what  is  false  ;  therefore  it  is  said  that  the  waters  prevailed  exceed- 
ing exceedingly,  which    is   the   superlative  of  the  orio-inal   tono-ue. 
Falses  are  the  principles  of  the  false,  and  the  persuasions  of  the  false  ; 
and  that  these  increased  immensely  amongst  the  antediluvians,  appears 
from  what  has  been  said  above  concerning  them:  persuasions  increase 
immensely,  when  men  immerse  truths  in  their  lusts,  or  cause  them  to 
favor  self-love  and  the  love  of  the  world,  for  in  such  case  they  pervert 
truths,  and  by  a  thousand  methods  force  them  to  agreement  with  their 
lusts  ;   for  how  common  is  it,  when  a  person  imbibes,  or  frames  to 
himself,  a  principle  of  the  false,  to  confirm  it  by   abundance  of  scien- 
tific knowledge  which   he  is  in  possession  of,  nay,  even    from  the 
Word  !     Is  there  a  single  heresy  but  what  seizes  thus  upon  confirm- 
ing things,  and  the  things  which  do  not  consent  it  even  forces,  and 
variously  explains  and  distorts,  that    they  may  not  dissent.     As  he 
who  assumes  the  principle  that  faith  alone  saves  without  the  goods  of 
charity,  can  he  not  weave  an  entire  system  of  doctrine  from  the  Word 


9 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


163 


Without  ever  regarding,  or  even  attending  to,  or  so  much  as  seeing 
what  the  Lord  has  said,  that  the  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit,  and  what-' 
soever  tree  doth  not  bring  forth  good  fruit  shall  be  cut  down  and  cast 
into  the  fire  ]     Matt.  vii.  16,  17,  18,  19,  20,  xii.  33.     What  is  more 
pleasing  than  for  a  man  to  live  according  to  the  flesh,  a/id  yet  to  be 
saved,  if  so  be  he  only  knows  what  is  true,  although  he  does  not  at  all 
practice  what  is  good  ]     Every  lust  which  a  man  favors,  forms  the  life 
of  his  will,  and  every  principle,  or  every  persuasion  of  the  false,  forms 
the  life  of  his  understanding ;  these  lives  make  one,  when  the  truth 
or  doctrinals  of  faith  are  immersed  in  lusts  :  every  man  thus  forms  for 
himself,  as  it  were,  a  soul,  the  life  of  which  becomes  such  after  death. 
Wherefore,  nothing  is  of  more  concern  to  man  than  to  know  what  is 
true ;  when  he  knows  what  is  true,  and  in  such  a  manner  that  it  can- 
not be  perverted,  then  it  is  not  capable  of  being  so  immersed  in  lusts, 
and  producing  such  deadly  effects.     What  ought  to  be  more  dear  to 
man  than  his  life  to  eternity  I     If  he  destroys  his  soul  in  the  life  of 
the  body,  does  he  not  destroy  it  to  eternity  ] 

"  That  by  all  the  high  mountains  which  were  under  heaven    be- 
ing covered,  is  signified,  that  all  the  good    things  of   charity  were 
extinguished,  appears  from  the  signification  of  mountains  amongst  the 
most  ancient  people.    Mountains  with  them  signified  the  L  ord,  because 
they  enjoyed  and  exercised  his  worship  on  mountains,  because  moun- 
tains are  the  highest  parts  of  the  earth  ;  hence  they  signified  things 
celestial,  which  they  also  called  highest,  consequently  they  signify 
love  and  charity,  and  thus  the  goods  of  love  and  charity,  which  are 
celestial.     In  an  opposite  sense,  they  also  are  called  mountains  in  the 
Word  who  are  high-minded,  and  thus  a  mountain  denotes  self-love 
itself.     The  Most  Ancient  Church  is  also  signified  in  the  Word  by 
mountains,  by  reason  that  mountains  are  elevated  above  the  earth,  and 
are  nearer  as  it  were  to   heaven.     That  mountains  signify  the  Lord, 
and  all  celestial  things  thence  derived,  or  the  goods  of  love  and  charity, 
appears  from  the  following  passages  in  the  Word  ;  from  which  it  is 
plain  what  they  signify  in  particular,  for  all  things  in  the  Word,  both 
in  general  and  in  particular,  have  a  sense  according  to  the  subject  to 
which  they  are  applied.    In  David  :  '  The  mountains" shall  bring  peace, 
and  the  hills  in  righteousness,'  Psalm  Ixxii.  3  ;  where  mountains  sig- 
nify love  toward  the  Lord,  and  hills  neighborly  love,  such  as  prevailed  in 
the  Most  Ancient  Church,  which  therefore  is  also  signified  in  the  Word 
by  mountains  and  hills,  as  being  principled  in  such  love  and  charity. 
In  Ezekiel :  *  In  the  mountain  of  my  holiness,  in  the  mountain  of  the 
hight  of  Israel,  said  the  Lord  Jehovah,  there  shall  all   the  house  of 
Israel,  all  of  them  in  the  land,  serve  me,'  xx.  40  ;  where  the  mountain 
of  holiness  signifies  love  toward  the  Lord,  and  the  mountain  of  the 
hight  of   Israel  signifies  charity  toward    the    neighbor.      In  Isaiah  : 
Jehovah  of  hosts  will  make  for  all  people  in  this  mountain  a  feast  of 


164 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


fat  things,  and  he  will  swallow  up  in  this  mountain  the  faces  of  the 
covering,'  xxv.  6,  7  ;  where  the  mountain  signifies  the  Lord,  and  hence 
every  thing  celestial.  Again,  in  the  same  prophet :  *  O  Zion  that 
preachest  good  tidings,  get  thee  up  into  the  high  mountain  ;  O  Jeru- 
salem that  preachest  good  tidings,  lift  up  thy  voice  with  strength,' 
xl.  9  ;  to  ascend  into  a  high  mountain,  and  preach  good  tidings,  is  to 
worship  the  Lord  from  love  and  charity,  which  are  the  inmost  things, 
and  therefore  called  highest, for  whatever  is  inmost  is  called  highest. 
In  the  same  prophet:  *The  inhabitants  of  the  rock  shall  sing,  and  they 
shall  shout  from  the  top  of  the  mountains,  xlii.  11  ;  the  inhabitants  of 
the  rock  signify  such  as  are  in  charity  ;  to  shout  from  the  top  of  the 
mountain,  signifies  to  worship  the  Lord  from  love.  In  the  same  :  *  How 
delightful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  preacheth  good 
tidings,  that  publisheth  peace,  that  preachest  good  tidings  of  good,  that 
publisheth  salvation,'  lii.  7;  to  preach  good  tidings  on  the  mountains,  sig- 
nifies in  like  manner  to  preach  the  Lord  from  the  doctrine  of  love  and 
charity,  and  to  worship  Him  from  these.  In  the  same  : '  The  mountain* 
and  the  hills  shall  break  forth  before  you  into  singing,  and  all  the  trees 
of  the  field  shall  clap  their  hands,'  Iv.  12  :  signifying  to  worship 
the  Lord  from  love  and  charity,  which  are  mountains  and  hills,  and 
from  faith  thence  derived,  which  are  the  trees  of  the  field.  In  the 
same  :  '  I  will  make  all  my  mountains  a  way,  and  my  pathways  shaP 
be  exalted,'  xlix.  1 1  ;  where  mountains  signify  love  and  charity  ;  waj 
and  pathway  signify  the  truths  of  faith  therein  originating,  which  are 
said  to  be  exalted,  when  they  come  from  love  and  charity,  which  arc 
inmost.  The  Lord  also  by  mountains  means  love  and  charity,  where 
speaking  of  the  consummation  of  the  age  he  says,  '  That  they  who 
were  in  Judea  should  then  flee  to  the  mountains,'  Matt.  xxiv.  24,  16  ; 
Luke  xxi.  21;  Mark  xiii.  14;  where  Judea  signifies  the  Church  vastated. 
"  From  hence  then  it  plainly  appears,  what  is  signified  by  the  waters 
covering  the  mountains,  viz:  that  the  persuasions  of  what  was  false 
extinguished  all  the  good  of  charity."  —  A,  C.  n  790,  '4, '5,  '7. 

Again  :  we  are  commanded  in  Exodus  to  remember  the  Sabbath 
day  and  keep  it  holy  ;  and  tlie  reason  there  assigned  is  this:  "  For 
in  six  days  Jehovah  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  the  sea  and 
all  that  is  in  them,  and  rested  the  seventh  day  ;  wherefore  Jehovah 
blessed  the  Sabbath  day  and  Hallowed  it."  (  xx.  11.)  But  in 
Deuteronomy  where  the  decalogue  is  repeated,  the  reason  for  keep- 
ing holy  the  Sabbath  day  is  stated  thus:  **And  remember  that 
thou  wast  a  servant  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  that  Jehovah  thy 
God  brought  thee  out  thence,  through  a  mighty  hand  and  by  an 
outstretched  arm.  Therefore  Jehovah  thy  God  commanded  thee 
to  keep  the  Sabbath  day."  (v   15.) 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


165 


Here  we  observe,  that,  according  to  the  literal  sense,  the  two 
reasons  assigned  for  keeping  the  Sabbath  are  very  diflferent.  And 
if  the  first  be  the  true  reason,  it  may  be  fairly  asked,  why  should  a 
different  one  be  given  in  Deuteronomy?  But  if  that  given  in  Deu- 
teronomy be  the  true  ground  and  reason  of  the  command  to  hal- 
low the  seventh  day,  then  it  would  seem  that  this  precept  is  by  no 
means  binding  upon  us  ;  for  we  have  never  been  servants  in  the 
land  of  Egypt,  in  the  literal  sense ;  and  therefore  we  could  not 
remember  that  Jehovah  brought  us  out  thence. 

Now  although  the  two  reasons  here  given,  appear  different,  and 
are  different  in  their  literal  sense,  in  their  spiritual  and  true  sense 
they  are  essentially  the  same. 

According  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  all  words  in 
Scripture,  which,  in  their  natural  sense  refer  to  time,  denote,  in 
their  spiritual  sense,  certain  states  of  the  Church,  or  of  the  human 
mmd.  Thus  the  six  days  of  creation  mentioned  in  the  first  chap- 
ter of  Genesis,  denote  the  various  states  in  man's  regeneration,  as 
was  stated  in  the  last  lecture.  And  the  Sabbath  day  denotes  that 
blessed  state  of  internal  peace  and  rest,  which  a  man  enjoys  after 
his  regeneration  is  full  and  complete ;  or  when  truth  in  his  under- 
standing has  become  perfectly  united  with  love  in  his  will.  Hence 
also  the  reason  why  the  Sabbath  is  the  seventh  day  ;  for  the  num- 
ber seven  denotes  what  is  full  and  complete,  carryino-  with  it  also 
the  idea  of  what  is  holy.  The  fully  regenerate  state  of  man 
is  a  holy  state,  because  of  the  presence  and  indwelling  in  his 
mind  of  the  wisdom,  love,  and  power  of  the  Lord,  who  alone  is 
holy. 

When  man  has  passed  through  his  several  states  of  temptation, 
which  are  states  of  combat  against  evils  and  falses  —  states  of  spir- 
itual labor  signified  by  the  six  days'  work  of  creation  —  he  then 
comes  into  that  state  of  internal  rest  which  is  denoted  by  the  Sab- 
bath day,  And  this  state,  it  will  be  observed,  is  the  same  as  that 
described  in  the  last  lecture,  when  man  is  spiritually  created  into 
the  image  and  likeness  of  God,  and  made  a  living  soul.  The  sum 
of  the  precept  in  Exodus,  then,  understood  in  its  spiritual  sense,  is 
this:  that  we  ought  perpetually  to  bear  in  mind  that  holy  union  of 
divine  good  and  divine  truth  in  the  Lord's  Divine  Human,  wiiich  is 
the  essential  Sabbath  or  state  of  perfect  rest ;  and  remember  that 
we  can  approach  that  state  only  in  the  degree  that  we  have  the 
principles  of  good  and  truth,  or  of  charity  and  faith  from  the  Lord, 
united  in  our  minds.     We  are  required  to  remember  that  we  cannot 


166 


THE   SACRED   SCRIPTURE. 


attain  to  the  state  of  spiritual  rest  denoted  by  the  Sabbath,  until 
we  have  worked,  or  suflfered  the  Lord  to  work,  six  days  in  creating 
in  us  "  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  the  sea  and  all  that  is  in  them  ;*' 
or,  what  is  the  same,  until  we  have  passed  through  all  our  states 
of  spiritual  temptation  and  trial,  and,  by  shunning  evils  as  sins 
against  God,  have  removed  from  our  minds  all  false  and  evil  prin- 
ciples. 

]S"ow  the  reason  for  remembering  the  Sabbath  day,  which  is  given 
in  Deuteronomy,  although  apparently  different  from  this  in  Exo- 
dus,  is  essentially  the  same  when  viewed  as  to  its  internal  sense. 
It  is  there  said  that  the  children  of  Israel  were  commanded  to  re- 
member and  keep  the  Sabbath  day,  because  they  had  once  been  in 
bondage  to  the  Egyptians,  and  had  been  brought  out  thence  through 
the  mighty  hand  of  Jehovah  God. 

And  here  it  may  be  expedient  to  remark,  that  the  Israelites  were 
not  a  true  internal  church ;  but,  according  to  Swedenborg,  they 
were  merely  an  external  and  representative  church.  All  their  re- 
corded history  was  so  ordered  by  the  Divine  Providence  as  to  rep- 
resent, by  a  series  of  external  acts  and  ceremonies,  all  those  inter- 
nal and  spiritual  operations  which  must  be  performed  in  a  true 
church,  or  in  the  minds  of  such  as  become  regenerated.  They 
were,  therefore,  chosen  of  the  Lord  to  be  his  peculiar  people,  not 
on  account  of  any  peculiar  goodness  which  they  possessed  above 
other  nations,  as  is  clear  from  what  is  written  of  them  in  Deut. 
(ix.  6.)  :  '^Understand  therefore  that  Jehovah  thy  God  giveth  thee 
not  this  good  land  to  possess  it  for  thy  righteousness  ;  for  thou  art 
a  stiff"  necked  peopUr  But  because  of  their  being  the  most  exter- 
nal of  all  nations,  they  were  pecuharly  adapted  to  the  purposes  of 
a  representative  church  ;  just  as  ignorant  and  unreflecting  men 
are  most  suitable  for  any  service  which  requires  in  the  opera- 
tive no  thought,  nor  anything  but  passive  obedience  to  the  will  of 
another. 

Now  since  the  Israehtes  were  a  representative  church-— since 
they  represented  the  internal  things  of  a  true  church  by  their  out- 
ward acts  and  condition — therefore,  whenever  they  are  spoken  of 
in  the  Word,  they  denote  those  spiritual  principles  which  constitute 
a  true  church.  But  in  the  unregenerate  man,  the  principles  of 
goodness  and  truth,  which  are  the  constituents  of  a  true  church,  are 
in  subjection  and  servitude  to  the  loves  of  self  and  the  world, 
which  are  the  principles  that  predominate  in  the  natural  man. 
This  subjection  of  the  things  of  heaven  and  the  church  to  the  prin- 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


167 


ciples  of  the  natural   man,  is  what  was  represented,  and  is  there- 
fore signified,  by  the  bondage  of  the  children  of  Israel  in  Egypt. 
Egypt  denotes  the  state  of  the  natural  man.     Hence  the  reason 
why  Joseph  and  Mary  were  commanded  to  flee  into  Egypt  y^\t\\  the 
infant  Saviour  ;  for,  that  his  going  into  Egypt  was  a  thing  of  divine 
order,  is  evident  from  its  being  said  in  Matthew  that  this  came  to 
pass,  '*  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  of  the  Lord  by 
the  prcphet,  saying,  Out  of  Egypt  have  I  called  my  Son.*'  (ii.  15.) 
His   descent  into  Egypt  was  a  representative  image  of  this  great 
truth,  viz  :  that  He  assumed  humanity  with  all  its  inherited  corrup- 
tions, and   thus  descended — ''went down'' — with  his  own  Divine 
into  every  possible  state  of  the  natural  man.     And  his  subsequent 
return  from  Egypt  into  the  land  of  Israel,  represented,  by  corres- 
pondence, the  glorification  of  the  humanity  which  He  assumed,  or 
its  elevation   to  a  perfect  oneness   with  the   Divinity   that  was  in 
Him  fiom  conception.     And  since  man's  regeneration  is  an  imarre 
of  the  Lord's  glorification,  therefore  the  Lord's  return  from  Egypt 
was  a  representative  of  our   regeneration.     Hence  by  the  children 
of  Israel  being  brought  up  out  of  Egypt  and  led  into  Canaan  by 
the  hand  of  Jehovah  God,  is  signified  man's  deliverance  from  his 
natural  state  of  ignorance  and  bondage  to  evil  lusts,  denoted  by  the 
bondage  of  the   Israelites  in  Egypt,  and  his  introduction  into  that 
heavenly  state  denoted  by  Canaan,  through  the  divine  power  of  the 
Lord  ;  in  other  words,  it  signifies  the  deliverance  of  the  thino-s  of 
heaven  and  the  church,  from  that  state  of  bondage  which  they  are 
in  before  our  regeneration,  and  their  consequent  elevation  above 
the  principles  which  govern  and  enslave  in  the  natural  man.     When 
this  is  fully  accomplished  —  when  all  the  affections  and  thoughts 
originating  in  the  natural  and  inordinate  love  of  self,  are  brou^rht 
into  a  quiescent  state  —  when  the  whole  family  and  possessions  of 
the  natural  man,  cease  from  their  labor  and   dominion  over  the 
goods  and  truths  of  the  church,  (which  is  signified  by  permittino- 
to  rest  **  thyself  and  thy  son,  and  thy  daughter,  thy  man-servant 
and  thy   maid-servant,   thine  ox  and  thine  ass,  thy  cattle  and  the 
stranger  that  is  within  thy  gates  ")  —  then  the  soul  enjoys  that  inter- 
nal peace  and  quietness  which  is  denoted  by  the  Sabbath  day. 

Thus  we  perceive  that  the  six  days'  work  of  creation,  and  the 
deliverance  of  the  children  of  Israel  from  their  bondage  in  Egypt, 
though  apparently  different,  are,  in  their  internal  sense,  essentially 
the  same.  The  only  difference  is,  that  the  former  is  predicated  of 
the  celestial,  and  the  latter  of  the  spiritual  church.     And  this 


168 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPUED. 


16^ 


example  may  suffice  to  show  how  apparent  discrepancies,  such  as 
sometimes  occur  in  the  hteral  sense  of  the  Word,  fade  away  and 
disappear  before  the  light  of  the  spiritual  sense ;  and  it  may  also 
assist  us  in  understanding  the  true  meaning  of  those  texts  which 
speak  of  the  Lord's  anger,  jealousy  and  revenge  — of  his  punishing 
man,  and  turning  his  face  away  from  him,  &c.  These  ihin^s, 
which  are  said  in  accommodation  to,  and  in  correspondence  with, 
the  state  of  the  natural  man,  are  only  apparent  truths ;  i.e.,  such 
as  appear  m  the  literal  sense,  though  they  are  a  medium  of  con- 
veying genuine  truths  to  such  as  understand  the  laws  of  a  divine 
composition. 

Let  a  familiar  example  be  taken  to  illustrate  this.  We  say  that 
the  sun  rises^  and  the  sun  goes  down  ;  but  this,  as  every  one  knows, 
is  not  true  according  to  the  strictly  hteral  sense  of  these  words. 
The  langaiage  expresses  only  an  apparent  truth,  which,  however,  is 
the  medium  of  conveying  a  genuine  truth  to  the  minds  of  ail  who 
are  instructed  m  the  laws  of  our  solar  system. 

We  shall  find,  too,  that  the  apparent  immoralities  which  occa- 
sionally occur  in  the  Word  —  those  which  appear,  according  to  the 
letter  of  Scripture,  to  have  the  divine  sanction  —  will  vanish  in  the 
same  manner,  as  soon  as  the  spiritual  sense  of  such  passa<»-es  is 
unfolded.  Take,  for  example,  the  seventh  chapter  of  Deuteron- 
omy, where,  as  appears  from  the  second  verse,  the  children  of 
Israel  were  commanded  to  smite  the  Canaanites,  and  utterly  de- 
stroy them ;  —  to  make  no  covenant  with  them,  neither  to  show 
them  any  mercy  ;  and  in  verse  16,  it  is  written,  "And  thou  shah 
consume  aU  the  people  —  thine  eye  shall  have  no  pity  upon 
them,"  (fee. 

Now  war  is  justly  enough  regarded  by  Christians  as  an  immoral 
practice.  Yet  from  the  letter  of  the  text  just  referred  to,  it  appears, 
not  only  that  the  Lord  sanctioned  unmercifulness  and  cruelty,  but 
that  He  positively  commanded  the  Israehtes  to  show  no  pity  nor 
mercy  unto  those  who  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Canaan.  This,  accord- 
ing to  its  hteral  sense,  is  certainly  contrary  to  the  feelings  of  every 
generous  mind,  as  well  as  to  flie  general  spirit  and  tenor  U  the 
New  Testament ;  for  we  read  in  Matthew  (v.  7),  ''  Blessed  are  the 
merciful  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy."  But  the  internal  sense  of 
the  passages  above  referred  to,  is  in  perfect  agreement  with  this 
text  in  Mattliew,  as  well  as  with  the  general  spirit  of  the  gospel. 

The  land  of  Canaan,  when  inliabited  by  the  children  of  Israel, 
denotes  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord,  or  a  heavenly  state  of  mind  ;  for 


'*the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  within."  (Luke  xvii.  21.)  Conse- 
quently, all  the  parts  of  that  land,  and  everything  of  order  apper- 
taining to  it,  denote  all  the  good  and  true  principles  which  apper- 
tain to  a  true  church,  and  to  every  mind  when  brought  into  a 
state  of  heavenly  order.  But  while  the  land  of  Canaan  was 
inhabited  by  the  Amorites,  the  Perizzites,  the  Hivites,  <fec.,  it 
denotes  the  Church  or  the  mind  of  man  in  his  natural  state,  which 
is  capable  of  being  regenerated,  but  which  is  yet  infested  with  all 
kinds  of  false  and  mfemal  principles  signified  by  the  Canaanites  ; 
and  these  principles  are  in  direct  opposition  to  those  of  Heaven 
and  the  Church,  which  are  denoted  by  the  children  of  Israel. 

Now  the  Israelites,  as  before  remarked,  were  not  a  truey  but 
only  a  representative  church.     They  were  left  in  precisely  the  same 
state  of  freedom  that  other  people  are  ;   only  their  external  history 
(or  that  portion  of  it  which  is  recorded  in  the  Bible),  was  so  over- 
ruled by  the  Divine   Providence  as  to   be  all  representative  of 
divine  order  in  the  Church.     In  order,  therefore,  that  their  out- 
ward   acts   might   truly   represent  the   internal  things  of  a  true 
Church,  it  was  important  that  these  should  appear  to  be  done  by 
the  command  of  the  Lord.     Thus,  to  represent  the  spiritual  com- 
bats in  which  all  who  become  regenerated  must  engage,  even  after 
they  have  been  brought  out  of  that  state  denoted  by  Egypt, —  i.  e., 
after  spiritual  things  have  been  elevated  in  their  minds  above  a 
state  of  mere  subserviency  to  natural  affections  —  and  to  represent 
that  war  of  extermination  which  the  Lord  requires  us  to  wage 
airainst  evils  and  falses  of  all  kinds,  the  children  of  Israel  were 
commanded  to   make   war  upon  the   Canaanites,  and  to  destroy 
them  all  without  mercy.     And  to  show  that  we  cannot  get  rid  of 
our  evils  all  at  once,  or  be  regenerated  instantaneously ,  it  is  said  in 
Deuteronomy  (vii.  22),  **And  Jehovah  thy  God  will  put  out  those 
nations  before  thee  hy  little  and  little  ;  thou  mayest  not  consume 
them  at  once.*' 

This  agrees  with  the  doctrine  of  regeneration  as  taught  in  the 
writings  of  the  New  Church ;  for  we  are  here  told  that  man  is  re- 
generated just  in  the  degree  that  he  shuns  evils  as  sins  against 
God ;  thus  in  the  degree  that  he  resists,  overcomes,  or  drives  out 
from  his  mind,  those  principles  of  evil  which  the  Canaanites  rep- 
resented.    And  this  is  done  by  little  and  little. 

This  example  may  also  serve  to  show  us  how  those  texts  of 
Scripture,  which  contain  an  invocation  of  curses  upon  enemies,  and 

which  occur  so  frequently  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  are  to  be  under- 
15 


J  70 


THE     SACRED     SCRIPTURE. 


Stood.  There  are  spiritual  enemies  to  which  natund  ones  corres- 
pond, and  which  they,  therefore,  signify.  Our  spiritual  enemies  are 
all  the  false  and  evil  principles  that  flow  from  heU  ;  for  these 
assault  our  spiritual  life,  and  threaten  ruin  to  our  souls.  Falses 
and  evils,  therefore,  are  what  are  denoted  by  enemies  in  the  internal 
sense.  It  is  against  such  enemies  that  we  are  permitted  to  invoke 
the  Lord's  vengeance,  and  to  pray  Hun,  in  the  language  of  the 
Psalmist,  to  arise,  disappoint  them  and  cast  them  down,  that  our 
souls  may  be  delivered.     (Psalms  xvii.  13.) 

Turn  now  to  that  passage  in  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel,  which 
was  quoted  m  a  former  lecture,  and  which  reads  :  "  And  thou  son 
of  man,  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  Speak  to  the  bird  of  every 
wing,  and  to  every  beast  of  the  field.  Assemble  yourselves,  and 
come  ;  gather  yourselves  on  every  side  to  my  sacrifice  that  I  do 
sacrifice  for  you,  a  great  sacrifice  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel 
that  ye  may  eat  flesh  and  drink  blood.     Ye  shall  eat  the  flesh  of 
the  mighty,  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  princes  of  the  earth  of 
rams,  of  lambs,  and  of  goats,  of  bullocks,  all  of  them  fatlinr^s  of 
Bashan.     And  ye  shall  eat  fat  till  ye  be  full,  and  drink  bloo°d  till 
ye  be  drunken,  of  my  sacrifice  which  I  have  sacrificed  for  you 
Thus  shall  ye  be  fiUed  at  my  table  with  horses  and  chariots,  with 
mighty  men  and  with  aU  men  of  war,  saith  the  Lord   Jehovah  " 
(xxxix.  17-20.) 

Every  candid  mind  will  admit,  that,  if  this  passage  is  to  be  re- 
garded as  a  portion  of  God's  Word,  and  therefore  as  containing 
I>ivine  Truth  profitable  for  doctrine,  and  for  instruction  in  right- 
eousness, the  language  must  be  symbolic  ;  for  from  the  hteral  sense 
nothing  profitable  can  be  derived.  It  will  be  admitted,  I  think 
that,  if  there  be  any  meaning  to  this  Scripture,  it  is  involved  iii 
great  obscurity—  covered,  over  as  it  were,  with  a  thick  cloud. 

But  let  us  see  what  meaning  is  conveyed  by  the  internal  sense 
of  this  passage,  as  unfolded  by  the  Science  of  Correspondences 

It  was  shown  in  the  last  lecture,  that,  inasmuch  as  the  thino-s  which 
nourish  the  body  correspond  to  the  things  which  nourish  th^e  mind 
so  there  must  be  spiritual  eating  and  drinking  to  which  the  natural 
act  corresponds.  Hence  also  it  may  be  seen  that  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  a  spiritual  as  well  as  a  natural  feast  —  a  feast  for  the 
mmd  as  well  as  for  the  body.  In  the  language  of  Scripture,  there- 
fore, feast  denotes,  by  correspondence,  a  profusion  of  such  thinjrs 
as  delight  and  nourish  the  soul  of  man.  In  the  present  instance 
because  it  is  a  feast  prepared  by  the  Lord  Jehovah,  it  denotes  the 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


171 


r 


i* 


\> 


great  abundance  of  spiritual  blessings,  which  were  communicated 
by  the  Lord  to  his  Church  under  the  first  Christian  dispensation ; 
and  likewise  the  profusion  of  heavenly  goods  and  truths  which  are 
revealed  by  Him  now  at  his  second  coming,  which  is  spiritual,  be- 
cause in  the  spiritual  sense  of  his  Word.     That  this  is  the  true 
meaning  of  the  feast  or  *^  great  sacrifice  "  here  spoken  of,  is  mani- 
fest from  Rev.  xix,  wherein  mention  is  made  of  *'  the  marriage  sup- 
per of  the  Lamb  ;"  and  ''  the  Lamb's  wife,"  it  is  said,  "  hath  made 
herself  ready  ;"  and  the  appearance  of  one  sitting  upon  a  white 
horse  who  is  followed  by  the  armies  of  heaven,  is  also  described 
there,  whose  **name/'  we  are  told,  *'is  called  the  Word  of  God.'* 
And  after  this  appearance,  the  revelator  goes  on  to  say :  '*  And 
I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun  ;  and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice, 
saying  to  all  the  fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven.  Come,  and 
gather  yourselves  together  unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God :    that 
ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the 
flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit 
on  them,  and  the  flesh  of  all    [  men,  both  ]  free  and  bond,  both 
small  and  great."    {vAl,  18.)    This  language  so  nearly  resembles 
that  in  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel,  that  we  may  fairly  presume  both 
passages  refer  either  to  the  same  event,  or  to  events  that  are  sim- 
ilar.    And  from  the  order  in  which  things  are  here  mentioned,  it 
is  plain  that  ''  the  supper  of  the  great  God,"  must  denote  some 
general  and  rich  dispensation,  made  by  the  Lord  to  his  Church,  of 
the  spiritual  things  which  are  contained  in  his  Word  ;  which  things 
are  the  food  and  nourishment  of  human  minds. 

Moreover  this  view  of  the  subject  finds  abundant  confirmation 
in  other  parts  of  the  Word.     In  the  gospel  of  Luke,  the  Lord  says 
to  those  who  have  continued  with  Him  in  his  temptations,    "  And 
I  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom  as  my  Father  hath  appointed  unto 
me  ;  that   ye   may  eat   and  drink  at  my  table  in  my  kingdom." 
(xxii.  29,  30.)     So  likewise  the  parables  of  a  certain  rich  man, 
who  made  a  great  supper  (  Luke  xiv.  ),  and  of  a  certain  king 
who   prepared  a  dinner   on  account  of  the  marriage  of  his  son, 
and  sent  out  servants  to  say  to  them  that  were  bidden,  "  Behold  1 
have  prepared  my  dinner  ;  my  oxen  and  my  fatlings  are  killed, 
and  all  things  are  ready:  come  unto  the  marriage  "  (  Matt.  xxii.  4.), 
these,  and  other  like  passages,  were  clearly  designed  to  represent 
the  abundant  communication  of  spiritual  things  for  the  nourish- 
ment of  men's  souls,  consequent  upon  the  Lord's  advent.     Besides, 
it  is  well  known  that  the  spiritual  gifts  which  the  Lord  dispenses  to 


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KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


173 


His  Church,  are  often  in  the  Word  compared  to  meat  and  drink  ; 
and  not  unfrequently  are  they  called  bread,  meat,  flesh,  wine, 
water,  blood,  <fec. 

Indeed  the  correspondence  between  natural  and  spiritual  feasting 
is  so  obvious,  that  nothing  is  more  common  than  for  people  to  say, 
when  they  have  been  listenmg  to  new  and  interesting  truths,  that 
they  have  enjoyed  a  great  feast. 

Now  there  are  two  great  faculties  of  the  human  mind,  called 
the  will  and  the  understanding.     This  is  tlie  most  general  division 
of  the  faculties ;  and  the  two  parts  into  which  the  mind  is  thus 
divided,  correspond  to,  and  are  derived  from,  the  two  essential 
divine  principles  of  love  and  wisdom  in  the  Lord,  and  are,  indeed, 
the  receptacles  of  those  principles.     And  whether  we  adopt  any  of 
the  old  systems  of  mental  philosophy,  or  that  more  modern,  and  at 
the  same  time  more  consistent  and  rational  one  based  upon  the 
science  of  Phrenology,  we  shall  find  that  all  the  faculties  of  the 
mind  arrange  themselves  into  the  two  great  classes  of  intellectual 
and  afFectuous  ;  for  there  are  none  which  do  not  belono-  either  to 
the  understanding  or  to  the  will.  A  man's  inclmations,  desires,  and 
loves,  all  belong  to  the  will,  for  what  he  loves  that  he  also  wills  ; 
and  his  ideas,  perceptions,  and  thoughts,  all  belong  to  the  under- 
standing.    And  because  the  Sacred  Scripture  was  designed  for  the 
regeneration  of  the  whole  man —  for  the  removal  of  falsities  from 
the  understanding,  as  well  as  the  purification  of  the  will  from  evil 
loves  —  it  ought,  therefore,  to  have  regard  throughout  to  this  most 
general  division  of  the  mind  into  will  and  understanding,  and  to 
address  both  these  faculties  in  man.     And  this  is  actually  the  case. 
The  Word  is  addressed  to  man  as  possessed  of  both  will    and 
understanding ;  for  in   all  parts  of  the  Word  there  exists  a  mar- 
riage of  goodness  and  truth,  which  corresponds  to  the  union  of  will 
and  understanding  in  man  ;  and  this  marriage  exists  because  the 
Word  is  from  the   Lord,  and   is  Himself,  and  in  Him  there  is  a 
divine  marriage  of  love    and  wisdom.     This  may  help  us  to  see 
why  it  is,   that  words  and    phrases  so  often  occur  in  Scripture 
in  close  connection  with  each  other,  which  appear  to  signify  the 
same  thing ;  as  for  example,  justice  and  judgment,  nations  and  peo- 
ple, joy  and  gladness,  (fee.     In  such  cases  there  is  not  a  repetition 
of  the  same  thing,  as  appears  in  the  hteral  sense  ;  for  one  is  pred- 
icated of  the  will  or  the  love  of  man,  and  the  other  of  his  under- 
standing or  thought.     Hence  also  the  reason  why,  in  the  passage 
under  consideration,  the  prophet  is  commanded  to  *' speak  to  the 


i 


bird  of  every  wing,  and  to  every  beast  of  the  field  ;  "  for,  in  the 
language  of  correspondence,  birds  signify  things  which  appertain 
to  the  understanding,  or  thoughts  in  general,  either  of  truth  or  of 
falsity,  according  to  the  nature  and  quality  of  the  birds  ;  and  hearts, 
according  to  their  quality,  denote  the  various  affections,  or  such 
things  as  appertain  to  the  will  principle  of  man. 

It  would  be  interesting,  did  our  limits  permit,  to  inquire  into  the 
ground  of  this  correspondence  and  spiritual  signification  of  birds 
and  beasts  ;  to  pursue  somewhat  in  detail  the  correspondence  be- 
tween the  thoughts  of  the  mind,  and  the  powers,  habits,  and  vari- 
ous characteristic  quahties  of  the  winged  part  of  creation  ;  such,  for 
example,  as  their  power  of  soaring  high  above  the  earth's  surface, 
the  musical  character  of  some  of  them,  the  agreeable  and  enliven- 
ing effect  which  the  approach  of  light  produces  upon  most  of  them, 
and  the  suddenness  with  which  they  lose  their  activity  and  fall  to 
sleep  on  the  approach  of  darkness,  even  though  the  darkness  come 
upon  them  at  mid-day,  as  in  the  case  of  a  solar  eclipse.  In  all 
these  respects  there  is  such  a  complete  correspondence  between 
the  birds  of  the  air  and  human  thoughts,  that  the  rational  mind 
at  once  perceives  and  assents  to  it. 

But  in  order  to  confirm  this  correspondence  of  birds  and  beasts, 
or  to  show,  that,  when  mentioned  in  the  Word,  they  signify  certain 
principles  of  the  human  mind,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  quote  a  single 
passage  from  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah.  It  is  there  said  (  chapter 
xxxiv.)  concerning  the  Jewish  Church,  in  reference  to  its  approach- 
ing consummation,  ''  The  cormorant  and  the  bittern  shall  possess 
it ;  the  owl  also  and  the  raven  shall  dwell  in  it :  and  He  shall 
stretch  out  upon  it  the  line  of  confusion,  and  the  stones  of  empti- 
ness. And  thorns  shall  come  up  in  her  palaces,  nettles  and  bram- 
bles in  the  fortresses  thereof;  and  it  shall  be  an  habitation  of 
dragons  and  a  court  for  owls.  The  wild  beasts  of  the  desert  shall 
also  meet  there,  with  the  wild  beasts  of  the  island,  and  the  satyr 
shall  cry  to  his  fellow  ;  the  screech-owl  also  shall  rest  there,  and 
find  for  herself  a  place  of  rest.  There  shall  the  great  owl  make 
her  nest,  and  lay,  and  hatch,  and  gather  under  her  shadow  ; 
there  shall  the  vulture  also  be  gathered,  every  one  with  her 
mate.'' 

These  things  are  said  of  the  Church  in  its  state  of  consumma- 
tion, when  human  minds  are  inhabited  by  all  those  infernal  prin- 
ciples which  correspond  to,  and  are  signified  by,  the  various  crea- 
tures here  mentioned. 


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THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


Again  :  no  two  individuals  are  ever  precisely  alike  in  their  modes 
of  thought  and  feeling.  There  is  as  great  variety  among  men  in 
respect  to  the  character  of  their  minds,  or  the  peculiar  cast  of  their 
thoughts  and  affections,  as  there  is  in  the  expression  of  their  faces, 
or  as  there  are  species  and  varieties  of  birds  and  beasts.  Because 
this  is  so,  and  because  the  divine  principles  of  good  and  truth, 
which  are  now  unfolded  in  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word,  are  not,  as 
some  suppose,  suited  merely  to  one  peculiar  class  of  minds,  but 
are  adapted  to  every  variety  of  mental  character  where  there 
exists  any  love  of  what  is  really  good  and  true,  therefore,  it  is  said 
in  the  prophecy  before  us,  **  Speak  to  the  bird  of  every  wing,  and  to 
every  beast  of  the  field."  The  bird  of  every  toing  denotes,  by  cor- 
respondence, every  variety  of  intellect,  whence  are  the  thoughts  of 
man  ;  and  every  beast  of  the  field  denotes  every  variety  of  the  vol- 
untary principle,  whence  are  the  affections  of  man. 

The  sacrifice  which  is  here  spoken  of  is  called  **  a  great  sacrifice 
upon  the  mountains  of  Israel ; "  which  words,  in  their  spiritual 
sense,  denote,  that  if  we  would  come  to  the  real  enjoyment  of  the 
goods  and  truths  which  are  revealed  —  such  enjoyment  as  those 
experience  who  are  in  states  of  spiritual  worship  from  these  truths 
and  according  to  them  —  we  must  elevate  our  affections  above  the 
things  of  sense  and  the  world,  to  the  things  which  are  of  hea- 
ven and  the  Church;  —  we  must  go  upon  the  mountains  of 
Israel  ;  i.  e.,  we  must  endeavor  to  have  our  affections  raised  to 
such  an  elevated  state,  as  to  desire  tnith  for  the  sake  of  its  good 
use.  Sacrifice,  in  the  Israelitish  Church,  was  an  act  of  worship, 
and  consisted  in  offering  to  the  Lord  certain  natural  things  which 
He  required  them  to  offer.  And  since  the  Israelites  were  a  rep- 
resentative Church,  this  external  worship  of  theirs  represented, 
by  correspondence,  the  internal  and  spiritual  worship  of  a  true 
Churcli.  The  natural  things  which  they  offered  in  sacrifice,  rep- 
resented the  spiritual  things,  i.  e.,  all  the  affections  and  powers 
of  the  mind,  which  the  true  spiritual  worshiper  dedicates  to  the 
Lord.  Sacrifice,  therefore,  when  predicated  of  man,  denotes,  in 
the  spiritual  sense,  those  pure  spiritual  affections  with  which  he  ap- 
proaches the  Lord  in  worship.  It  is  the  offering  up  to  Him 
or  the  dedicating  to  his  service,  of  all  the  noblest  powers  of 
the  mind.  But  when  predicated  of  the  Lord,  as  in  the  pre- 
sent instance,  it  denotes  a  communication  from  Him  to  human 
minds,  of  such  things  as  are  essential  in  all  true  worship.  Bis  sac- 
rifice is  the  offering  which  He  makes  to  man  of  the  goods  and 


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175 


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H 


truths  of  heaven.  And  it  is  here  said  to  be  upon  the  mountains 
of  Israel,  to  denote  that  we  can  receive  the  heavenly  things  which 
the  Lord  has  to  impart,  and  which  are  the  essentials  of  true  worship, 
only  when  our  desires  are  elevated  ;  i.  e.,  when  we  have  a  desire 
for  truth  grounded  in  the  love  of  goodness.  Mountain,  in  the  lan- 
guage of  correspondence,  denotes  an  elevated  state  of  the  affec- 
tions ;  and  Israel  denotes  the  spiritual  Church,  or  all  who  are  in 
spiritual  truth  from  the  Lord.  Hence  by  the  mountains  of  Israel  are 
signified  states  of  affection  for  spiritual  truth,  such  as  those  are  in 
who  highly  esteem  the  things  of  heaven  and  the  Church,  or  in 
whose  minds  these  are  exalted  above  eveiy  thing  else.  It  is  to 
persons  who  are  in  this  state,  that  the  Lord  can  impart  the  essen- 
tial things  of  true  worship  ;  for  they  alone  are  in  a  state  to  receive 
them.  Thus  it  is  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel  that  the  Lord  makes 
his  great  sacrifice,  and  where  all  men  are  invited  to  come  and 
partake. 

And  as  the  mind  of  man  consists  of  the  two  faculties,  will  and 
understanding,  so  there  are  the  two  divine  principles  of  love  and 
wisdom,  or  goodness  and  truth,  proceeding  from  the  Lord,  to  nourish 
these  faculties  and  keep  them  alive.     These  two  principles  are  sig- 
nified by  the  names  Jehovah  God  and  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Word  ~ 
Jehovah  and  Jesus  referring  to  the  principle  of  divine  love  in  the 
Lord,  God  and  Christ  to  the  principle  of  divine  truth.     Wherefore 
it  is  said  to  the  birds  and  beasts  in  the  passage  before  us,  "  Assem- 
ble yourselves,  <fec.,  —  that  ye  may  eat  flesh  and  drink  blood.  "     Now 
as  flesh  and  blood  are  the  principle  constituents  of  the  body,  so  the 
principles  of  good  and  truth,  to   which  they  correspond,  are  the 
essential  constituents   of  the  mind.     In  the  Lord  these  principles 
are  divine,  and  are  what  is  meant  in  the  Word  by  his  flesh  and 
blood,  which,  it   is  said,  '^  whoso  eateth  and  drinkeih  hath  eternal 
hfe.  '*     (John  vi.  54.)     So  far,  therefore,  as  these  principles  are  re- 
ceived into   human   minds  in  a  pure  and  orderly  form,  so  far  the 
Lord  is  received,  and  men  dwell  in  Him  and  He  in  them. 

We  observe  that  it  is  said  at  first  of  the  birds  and  beasts,  that 
they  shall  eat  flesh  and  drink  blood.  This  is  a  general  statement 
of  what  they  shaU  do  ;  and  denotes  in  general  the  reception  of 
good  and  truth  by  every  variety  of  intellectual  and  voluntary  char- 
acter. Afterward  the  prophecy  descends  more  to  particulars,  and 
says,  -Ye  shall  eat  the  flesh  of  the  mighty,  and  drink  the  blood  of 
the  prmces  of  the  earth ;  of  rams,  of  lambs,  and  of  goats,  of  bul- 
locks, all  of  them  fatlings  of  Bashan.'' 


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THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


Now  there  is  not  only  this  general  division  of  the  faculties  of 
the  mind  of  which  I  have  spoken,  but  there  are  various  orders  and 
degrees  of  these  faculties.  For  nothing  is  more  common  than  to 
hear  it  said  of  two  different  minds,  that  one  is  of  a  higher  order 
than  the  other.  We  know  also  that  there  are  various  de^rrees  in 
which  the  same  mind  may  be  elevated  with  respect  to  its  attain- 
ments in  goodness  and  truth.  And  as  there  are  various  orders  and 
degrees  of  the  two  general  facidties  of  the  mind,  so  there  is  a  cor- 
responding variety  in  the  orders  and  degrees  of  good  and  truth,  which 
are  to  nourish  these  faculties  in  their  respective  grades.  And  corres- 
ponding to  these  different  orders  and  degrees  of  good  and  truth,  are 
the  different  creatures  here  mentioned,  whose  flesh  and  blood,  it  is 
said,  **ye  shall  eat  and  drink.'*  By  the  mighty  is  denoted  such 
truths  as  are  powerful — those  on  which  we  rely  with  entire  confi- 
dence, and  which  are,  therefore,  efficient  in  combatting  and  removing 
from  our  minds  such  ^ils  as  are  conjoined  witli  the  falsities  to 
which  tliese  truths  are  opposed.  And  hence  to  eat  the  fiesh  of  the 
mighty,  is  to  enjoy  the  good  consequent  upon  such  combat  and  vic- 
tory ;  i.  e.,  to  receive  into  our  wills  the  delights  of  some  heavenly 
affection,  as  a  consequence  of  removing  thence  some  evil  love 
through  the  powerful  operation  of  the  truth  which  is  denoted  by 
the  mighty.  The  princes  of  the  earth  signify  the  principal  truths 
of  the  Church — earth  denoting  the  Church,  as  was  shown  in  a  for- 
mer lecture ;  and  to  drink  their  blood,  signifies  to  nourish  the  mind 
with  these  truths,  by  receiving  them  rationally,  and  having  them 
so  incorporated  with  the  understanding  as  to  become  practical  prin- 
ciples of  life.  Rams  and  lambs  correspond  to  and  signify  those 
pure  and  interior  affections  which  are  of  charity  and  innocence ; 
while  goats  and  bullocks  denote  corresponding  affections  which  are 
of  a  more  external  kind.  They  are  said  to  be  all  of  them  fallings 
of  Bashan,  to  denote  the  excellent  quahty  of  the  principles  which 
are  here  represented.  And  to  signify  the  abundant  nourishment 
which  the  faculties  of  the  mind  would  receive  from  the  profusion 
of  spiritual  things  to  be  unfolded  in  the  Word,  it  is  said,  *'And  ye 
shall  eat  fat  till  ye  be  full,  and  drink  blood  till  ye  be  drunken,  of 
my  sacrifice  which  I  have  sacrificed  for  you.'*  Fat,  like  flesh,  de- 
notes the  principle  of  goodness,  but  goodness  of  a  more  interior 
quality,  such  as  the  good  of  celestial  love.  Whence  to  eat  fat  till 
ye  be  full  signifies  to  appropriate  this  good,  or  to  have  the  will 
nourished  and  filled  with  the  deligrhts  of  celestial  love. 

Thus  far  the  passage  before  us  might  be  said  to  be  intelligible 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


177 


\ 


i 


1 


even  in  its  literal  sense  ;  though  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  the 
idea  which  is  conveyed  by  it  in  this  sense,  is  quite  irrational,  and 
altogether  unworthy  the  wisdom  of  God.  But  when  we  find  this 
added  in  the  next  verse,  "  Thus  shall  ye  be  filled  at  my  table  with 
horses  and  chariots,  with  mighty  men,  and  with  all  men  of  war, 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,"  we  feel  the  necessity  of  either  rejecting 
the  passage  as  wholly  unintelligible,  or  of  accepting  some  other 
meaning  than  that  conveyed  by  the  sense  of  the  letter.  For, 
although  the  animals  here  mentioned  might  eat  the  flesh  of  men  and 
horses,  it  is  not  so  easy  to  admit  that  they  could  eat  the  chariots 
also.  And  thus  we  find  in  many  parts  of  the  Word,  as  in  the 
present  instance,  expressions  of  such  a  character  as  will  not  allow 
our  minds  to  rest  in  the  literal  sense — as  if  Infinite  Wisdom  had 
uttered  them  for  the  very  purpose  of  leading  us  to  look  within  and 
above  the  letter. 

*'  Thus  shall  ye  be  filled  at  my  tabled*  In  common  discourse,  a 
man's  table  is  often  put  for  the  food  spread  upon  it.  Hence  the 
Lord's  table  denotes  all  the  spiritual  and  celestial  things  which  ai  e 
imparted  by  Him  through  the  medium  of  his  Word,  for  the  delight 
and  nourishment  of  human  minds.  Horses  and  chariots,  on  account 
of  their  use  in  conveying  our  bodies  from  place  to  place,  or  in  aid- 
ing us  to  travel  naturally,  correspond  to  those  things  which  are  of 
use  to  us  in  our  spiritual  progress.  Now  our  progress  in  spiritual 
life,  must  be  in  a  good  degree  commensurate  with  our  understand- 
ing of  the  Scripture.  We  cannot  advance  in  regeneration  if  we  do 
not  understand  the  Word  ;  for  this  is  the  only  true  light  that  en- 
lighteneth  every  man.  Horses,  therefore,  correspond  to,  and  thence 
signify,  the  understanding  of  the  Word,  since  it  is  this  which  assists 
us  on  our  spiritual  journey.  And  chariots,  because  they  are  at- 
tached to  horses  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  natural  traveling, 
correspond  to  and  signify  doctrines,  which  are  intimately  connected 
with  our  understanding  of  the  Word,  and  therefore  facilitate  our 
spiritual  progress.  And  to  he  filled  with  these,  is  to  have  the  mind 
fully  fed,  or  instructed  in  the  right  understanding  of  the  Word, 
and  in  the  great  doctrines  of  religion  thence  derived.  **  Mighty 
men  and  all  men  of  war  "  are  added,  to  denote,  as  they  do  by  cor- 
respondence, the  power  of  rational  and  convincing  truths,  such  as 
are  now  revealed  for  the  use  of  the  New  Church — the  confidence 
with  which  men  would  rely  upon  these  truths  in  spiritual  combat — 
and  their  final  victory  over  the  evils  and  falses  that  infest  the 
Church.     To  be  filled  with  mighty  men  and  all  men  of  war,  there- 


176 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


177 


Now  there  is  not  only  this  general  division  of  the  faculties  of 
the  mind  of  which  I  have  spoken,  but  there  are  various  orders  and 
degrees  of  these  faculties.  P^or  nothing  is  more  common  than  to 
hear  it  said  of  two  different  minds,  that  one  is  of  a  higher  order 
than  the  other.  We  know  also  that  there  are  various  decrees  in 
which  the  same  mind  may  be  elevated  with  respect  to  its  attain- 
ments in  goodness  and  truth.  And  as  there  are  various  orders  and 
degrees  of  the  two  general  faculties  of  the  mind,  so  there  is  a  cor- 
responding variety  in  the  orders  and  degrees  of  good  and  truth,  which 
are  to  nourish  these  faculties  in  their  respective  grades.  And  corres- 
ponding to  these  different  orders  and  degrees  of  good  and  truth,  are 
the  different  creatures  here  mentioned,  whose  flesh  and  blood,  it  is 
said,  "ye  shall  eat  and  drink."  By  the  mighty  is  denoted  such 
truths  as  are  powerful — those  on  which  we  rely  with  entire  confi- 
dence, and  which  are,  therefore,  efficient  in  combatting  and  removing 
from  our  minds  such  ^ils  as  are  conjoined  with  the  falsities  to 
which  these  truths  are  opposed.  And  hence  to  eat  the  flesh  of  the 
mighty,  is  to  enjoy  the  good  consequent  upon  such  combat  and  vic- 
tory ;  i.  e.,  to  receive  into  our  wills  the  delights  of  some  heavenly 
affection,  as  a  consequence  of  removing  thence  some  evil  love 
through  the  powerful  operation  of  the  truth  which  is  denoted  by 
the  mighty.  The  princes  of  the  earth  signify  the  principal  truths 
of  the  Church — earih  denoting  the  Church,  as  was  shown  in  a  for- 
mer lecture ;  and  to  drink  their  bloody  signifies  to  nourish  the  mind 
with  these  truths,  by  receiving  them  rationally,  and  having  them 
so  incorporated  with  the  understanding  as  to  become  practical  prin- 
3iples  of  life.  JRam^  and  lambs  correspond  to  and  sig-nify  those 
pure  and  interior  affections  which  are  of  charity  and  innocence ; 
while  goats  and  bullocks  denote  corresponding  affections  which  are 
of  a  more  external  kind.  They  are  said  to  be  all  of  them  failings 
of  BashaUy  to  denote  the  excellent  quality  of  the  principles  which 
are  here  represented.  And  to  signify  the  abundant  nourishment 
which  the  faculties  of  the  mind  would  receive  from  the  profusion 
of  spiritual  things  to  be  unfolded  in  the  Word,  it  is  said,  "And  ye 
shall  eat  fat  till  yc  be  full,  and  drink  blood  till  ye  be  drunken,  of 
my  sacrifice  which  I  have  sacrificed  for  you."  Fat,  like  flesh,  de- 
notes the  principle  of  goodness,  but  goodness  of  a  more  interior 
quality,  such  as  the  good  of  celestial  love.  Whence  to  eat  fat  till 
ye  be  full  signifies  to  appropriate  this  good,  or  to  have  the  will 
nourished  and  filled  with  the  delights  of  celestial  love. 

Thus  far  the  passage  before  us  might  be  said  to  be  intelligible 


1 


even  in  its  literal  sense  ;  though  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  the 
idea  which  is  conveyed  by  it  in  this  sense,  is  quite  irrational,  and 
altogether  unworthy  the  wisdom  of  God.  But  when  we  find  this 
added  in  the  next  verse,  "  Thus  shall  ye  be  filled  at  my  table  with 
horses  and  chariots,  with  mighty  men,  and  with  all  men  of  war, 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,"  we  feel  the  necessity  of  either  rejecting 
the  passage  as  wholly  unintelligible,  or  of  accepting  some  other 
meaning  than  that  conveyed  by  the  sense  of  the  letter.  For, 
although  the  animals  here  mentioned  might  eat  the  flesh  of  men  and 
horses,  it  is  not  so  easy  to  admit  that  they  could  eat  the  chariots 
also.  And  thus  we  find  in  many  parts  of  the  Word,  as  in  the 
present  instance,  expressions  of  such  a  character  as  will  not  allow 
our  minds  to  rest  in  the  literal  sense — as  if  Infinite  Wisdom  had 
uttered  them  for  the  very  purpose  of  leading  us  to  look  within  and 
above  the  letter. 

*'  Thus  shall  ye  be  filled  at  my  table.^'  In  common  discourse,  a 
man's  table  is  often  put  for  the  food  spread  upon  it.  Hence  the 
Lord's  table  denotes  all  the  spiritual  and  celestial  things  which  ai  e 
imparted  by  Him  through  the  medium  of  his  Word,  for  the  delight 
and  nourishment  of  human  minds.  Horses  and  chariots,  on  account 
of  their  use  in  conveying  our  bodies  from  place  to  place,  or  in  aid- 
ing us  to  travel  naturally,  correspond  to  those  things  which  are  of 
use  to  us  in  our  spiritual  progress.  Now  our  progress  in  spiritual 
life,  must  be  in  a  good  degree  commensurate  with  our  understand- 
ing of  the  Scripture.  We  cannot  advance  in  regeneration  if  we  do 
not  understand  the  Word  ;  for  this  is  the  only  true  light  that  en- 
lighteneth  every  man.  Horses,  therefore,  correspond  to,  and  thence 
signify,  the  understanding  of  the  Word,  since  it  is  this  which  assists 
us  on  our  spiritual  journey.  And  chariots,  because  they  are  at- 
tached to  horses  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  natural  traveling, 
correspond  to  and  signify  doctrines,  which  are  intimately  connected 
with  our  understanding  of  the  Word,  and  therefore  facilitate  our 
spiritual  progress.  And  to  he  filled  with  these,  is  to  have  the  mind 
fully  fed,  or  instructed  in  the  right  understanding  of  the  Word, 
and  in  the  great  doctrines  of  religion  thence  derived.  "  Miglity 
men  and  all  men  of  war  "  are  added,  to  denote,  as  they  do  by  cor- 
respondence, the  power  of  rational  and  convincing  truths,  such  as 
are  now  revealed  for  the  use  of  the  New  Church — the  confidence 
with  which  men  would  rely  upon  these  truths  in  spiritual  combat — 
and  their  final  victory  over  the  evils  and  falses  that  infest  the 
Church.     To  be  filled  with  mighty  men  and  all  men  of  war,  there- 


..I 


178 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


fore,  is  to  have  the  mind  filled  or  imbued  with  truths  which  are 
valiant  against  the  powers  of  hell. 

Thus  it  may  be  seen,  even  from  the  brief  and  imperfect  exposi- 
tion here  given,  that  this  prophecy,  so  obscure  and  meaningless  in 
the  hteral  sense,  becomes,  through  the  aid  of  the  Science  of  Corres- 
pondences, at  once  luminous,  rational,  and  full  of  instruction. 
From  the  darkness  and  death-damps  of  the  tomb,  it  leaps  to  light 
and  life  ;  and,  as  a  portion  of  the  ever-Hving  Word  of  God,  it 
speaks  to  us.  For  even  now,  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  words, 
there  is  a  great  sacrifice  prepared  by  Jehovah  God  upon  the  moun- 
tains of  Israel,  of  which  the  bird  of  every  wing,  and  every  beast  of 
the  field  are  invited  to  partake  ;  for  a  great  abundance  of  spiritual 
things  are  now  communicated  by  the  Lord,  in  the  revelations  made 
for  the  New  Church,  to  feast  and  delight  the  minds  of  all  men  who 
really  desire  to  eat  the  bread  of  heaven. 

I  proceed  next  to  a  passage  in  the  New  Testament  (Mark  xi.  13, 
14,)  which  has  caused  no  small  degree  of  trouble  to  commentators, 
and  which,  if  there  be  none  but  the  literal  sense,  certainly  does 
not  appear  at  all  consistent  with  the   language  or  operations  of 
Divine  Wisdom  ;  for  it  represents  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  cursmg 
a  tig-tree  on  a  certain  occasion,  because  when  He  came  to  it  He 
found  nothing  on  it  but  leaves,  although  it  was  not  then  the  time 
of  figs.     The  passage  reads  thus  :  '*And  seeing  a  fig-tree  afar  ofi*, 
having  leaves.  He  came,  if  haply  He  might  find  any  thing  thereon; 
and  when  He  came.  He  found  nothing  but  leaves  ;  for  it  was  not 
tJie  time  of  figs.     And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  it.  No  man 
eat  fruit  of  thee  hereafter  forever.'*     And  in  verses  20,  21,  it  is 
written  :  "And  in  the  morning  as  they  passed  by,  they  saw  the  fig- 
tree  dried  up  from  the  roots.    And  Peter,  calling  to  remembrance, 
saith  unto  Him,  Master,  behold  the  fig-tree  which  thou  cursedst  is 
withered  awav." 

Now  can  it  be  believed  by  any  rational  mind  that  these  words 
of  the  Lord  have  no  other  than  a  literal  sense  ?  Is  it  not  mani- 
fest that  they  must  contain  some  hidden  or  spiritual  meaning  ? 
For  it  is  consistent  neither  with' common  sense  nor  common  justice, 
that  the  Lord  should  curse  a  fig-tree  for  having  nothing  on  it  but 
leaves,  especially  as  it  is  said  tlie  time  of  figs  was  not  yet. 

But  let  us  endeavor  to  ascertain  the  meaning  of  this  passage,  as 
developed  by  the  Science  of  Correspondences.  I  will  first  give 
the  correspondence  and  internal  sense  of  some  of  the  more  import- 
ant words  here  used,  and  then  endeavor  to  connect  their  meaning 


KEY   TO   THE   SPIRITUAL   SENSE    APPLIED. 


179 


1 


into  a  series.     I  shall  not  attempt  more  than  a  very  general  and 
summary  exposition  of  the  text. 

It  was  stated  in  the  last  lecture  that  a  tree  corresponds  to  and 
signifies  the  church,  or  a  man  of  the  church.     Difierent  kinds  of 
trees,  therefore,  would  denote  different  kinds  of  churches,  or  the 
different  states  of  men*  as  to  goodness  and  tioith.     K  fig -tree ^  from 
correspondence,  denotes  the  good  and  truth  of  the  natural  man, 
which  are  merely  external ;  consequently  it  denotes  such  an  exter- 
nal church  as  the  Jews  were,  who  "did  all  their  works  to  be  seen 
of  men."     Afar-off  signifies  far  from  the  Lord  —  far  from  a  state 
of  genuine  charity  and  faith  —  i.  e.  in  externals.     For  since  the 
Lord  is  love  itself  and  wisdom  itself,  whatever  is  said  in  the  Word 
to  be  afar-off  from  Him,  must  be  understood  to  be  far  removed 
from  divine  good  and  divine   truth.      The  leaves  of  the  fig-tree 
denote  such  truths  as  belong  to  a  church  of  this  external  qual- 
ity —  such  as  are  all  natural  truths,  especially  those  in  the  literal 
sense  of  the  Word.     Hence  the  reason  why  the  most  Ancient 
Church,  which,  after  the  Fall,  was  signified  by  Adam  and  Eve,  is 
said  to  have  sewed  fig-leaves  together  to  conceal  their  nakedness, 
after  they  had  eaten  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil ;  for  to  do  this,  signifies  to  cover  up,  and  thus  endeavor  to  con- 
ceal from  the  eye  of  Omniscience,  internal  pride  and  self-love,  by 
means  of  a  fair  exterior,  or  an  outward  life  conformable  to  the 
moral  precepts.     Whoever  tries  to  hide  from  his  own  view,  or  the 
view  of  others,  the  inward  evils  of  his  heart,  by  arguments  framed 
from  the  hteral  sense  of  Scripture,  sews  fig-leaves  together  to  cover 
his  nakedness.     Fruit  signifies  the  good  works  of  charity.     Tim£ 
denotes  the  state  of  the  Church,  as  was  said  in  a  fonner  lecture ; 
and  morning  denotes  a  new  and  more  luminous  state,  or  a  New 
Dispensation,  and  consequently  a  New  Church. 

From  this  brief  explanation  of  the  correspondence  of  some  of  the 
principal  words  that  occur  in  the  text  referred  to,  the  internal 
sense  of  the  whole  passage  may  be  easily  understood.  By  the 
Lord's  seeing  a  fig-tree  afar  offy  is  signified  that  He  saw  the  Jewish 
Church  to  be  far  removed  from  Himself,  or  from  those  principles 
of  genuine  goodness  and  truth,  which  are  contained  in  the  internal 
sense  of  his  Holy  Word.  Having  leaves  denotes  that  they  had 
truths  of  an  external  kind,  such  as  are  those  of  the  literal  sense  of 
the  Word ;  and  these  were  in  the  most  external  region  of  their 
minds  —  as  it  were,  only  in  their  mouths,  and  not  in  their  hearts. 
Hence  the  Lord  says  of  them  :  "Tliis  people  draweth  nigh  unto 


180 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


me  with  their  mouth,  and  honoreth  me  with  their  lips,  but  their 
heart  is  far  from  me."  (Matt.  xv.  8.)     By  His  cmiing,  if  hajily  He 
might  find  anything  thereon,  is  denoted  His  advent  and  consequent 
exploration,    by   means  of   truth   from   Himself,   of  the   interior 
quahty  of  the  Jewish  Church,  to  see  whether  its  members  were 
principled  in  the  good  of  charity.     Fruit  on  a  tree  denotes  the 
good  of  hfe  proceeding  from  a  spiritual  principle,  i.  e.frmn  truth 
which  hath  vitality  in  it.     And  by  His  finding  nothing  hut  leaves 
when  He  came,  is  signified  that  He  found  the  Jews  possessed  of 
much  external  sanctity,  but  of  no  internal  goodness  ; — acknow- 
ledging divine  truth  with  their  lips,  but  denying  it  in  their  hearts. 
For  it  was  not  the  time  of  figs,  denotes  that  they  were  in  no  state 
of  charity,  or  of  doing  good  from  an  internal,  spiritual  ground. 
Time  denotes  state  ;  and  figs  denote  good  works  —  works  which 
proceed  from  a  right  principle  within.     And  because  the  Jewish 
Church  had  only  an  outward  show  of  piety  —  because  their  reli- 
gion was  of  that  external  kind  which  is  denoted  by  fig-leaves  —  of 
the  lips,  and  not  of  the  heart  —  and  because  they  were  in  no  state 
of  charity  which  would  lead  them  to  perform    the   good  works 
denoted  by  figs,  therefore  the  Lord  cursed  the  fig-tree,  as  is  said 
in  Mark  xi.  21.     By  his  cursing  the  fig-tree  is  denoted  the  sentence 
of  condemnation  which  that  Church  brought  upon  itself,  in  neglect- 
ing to  perform  good  works.     Fvejy  church  is  accursed,  which  bears 
nothing  but  leaves.     By  Jesus  answering  and  saying  unto  it,  no 
man  eat  fndt  of  thee  hereafter,  forever,  is  denoted  the  execution  of 
a  judgment  upon  that  Church,  and  its  final  consummation;  so 
that,  as  a  Church,  it  could  no  longer  bring  forth  the  fruits  of 
charity. 

We  are  also  instructed  by  the  internal  sense  of  this  passage,  that 
the  Jews  will  never  be  restored  ao^ain  to  Jerusalem,  as  some,  for 
want  of  a  right  understanding  of  the  Word,  have  vainly  imagined. 
For  it  is  said  that  "  in  the  morning,  as  they  passed  by,  they  saw 
the  fig  tree  dried  up  from  the  roots  ;"  which  words  denote,  that 
the  Jewish  Church  was  vastated  of  all  the  principles  of  spiritual 
life  —  was  withered  at  the  root,- when  the  New  Dispensation  com- 
menced. By  moaning  is  denoted  the  commencement  of  the  New 
Dispensation. 

This  is  a  summary  exposition  of  the  internal  sense  of  this  pas- 
sage, as  unfolded  by  means  of  the  Science  of  Correspondences. 
And  although  in  the  sense  of  the  letter  it  appears  both  irrational 
and  unjust,  in  the  internal  sense  it  is  replete  with  wisdom,  spirit  and 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


181 


^ 


< 


life  from  the  Lord.  And  it  is  not  addressed  to  the  Jewish  Church 
alone,  but  to  every  Church  of  a  like  quality,  or  of  the  same  ex- 
ternal and  hypocritical  character.  It  is  addressed  to  every  man, 
who,  with  his  lips,  and  may  be  with  his  outward  life,  maketh  loud 
professions  and  an  ostentatious  show  of  religion,  while  his  heart  is 
far  from  God  ;  —  who  beareth  none  of  the  genuine  fruits  of  charity, 
but  has  only  a  faith  of  the  lips  and  lungs  —  nothing  on  him  hut 
leaves  only.  Whenever  a  Church  or  an  individual  comes  into  this 
state,  he  is  spiritually  accursed  ;  for,  in  respect  to  genuine  spiritual 
life,  he  is  withered  and  dried  up  at  the  roots.  This  is  an  immutable 
law  of  divine  order. 

It  will  be  recollected  that  one  or  two  passages  were  cited  in  a 
former  lecture  from  the  book  of  Revelation,  which,  according  to 
the  literal  sense,  are  wholly  unintelligible.  The  reader  will  find 
the  internal  sense  of  those  passages,  and  indeed  of  this  whole  book, 
fully  unfolded,  in  the  Apocalypse  Revealed  by  Emanuel  Sweden- 
borg.  I  will  here  present,  in  a  very  summary  way,  the  internal 
sense  of  one  of  the  passag'-s  referred  to,  as  developed  by  means  of 
this  **  Key  of  Knowledge.'* 

The  whole  book  of  Revelation  has  ever  been  and  is  still  acknow- 
ledged, even  by  the  most  learned  in  the  Christian  Church,  to  be 
dark,  mysterious,  and  nearly  unintelligible  throughout.     No  one 
has  had  much  confidence  that  he  understood  it  aright,  and  no  two 
commentators,  that  we  have  any  knowledge  of,  have  ever  been 
agreed  as  to  its  meaning ;  and  for  this  very  good  reason,  that  it  is 
a  prophetic  book,  treating  throughout  of  the  consummation  of  the 
first  Christian  Church,  and  the  commencement  of  a  New  Dispensa- 
tion, or  the  descent  of  a  New  Church,  which  is  called  the  New  Je- 
rusalem.    This  book,  therefore,  could  not  be  rightly  understood 
before  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word  was  revealed,  (  which  reve- 
lation is  the  Lord's  second  appearing,)  anymore  than  the  pro- 
phetic books  of  the  Old  Testament  could  be  understood,  before  the 
Lord's   first   advent.     But   by  the    aid   of  the   revelation    made 
through  Swedenborg,  we  are  now  able  to  discover  in  this  hitherto 
mysterious  book,   an  orderly,  consistent,  coherent,  and  beautiful 
meaning  from  beginning  to  end. 

The  sixth  chapter,  which  contains  the  passage  above  referred  to, 
treats  in  its  literal  sense,  of  the  unsealing  of  "  a  book,  which  was 
written  within  and  on  the  back  side,  and  sealed  with  seven  seals," 
and  the  things  which  followed  in  consequence.  On  the  opening  of 
each  of  the  first  four  seals,  a  horse  was  seen  c(ming  out  of  the  hook; 


182 


THE   SACRED    SCRIPTUBE. 


first  a  white  horse,  then  a  red,  then  a  black,  and  then  a  pale 
horse  ;  and  in  reference  to  this  last  it  is  said,  "  and  his  name  that 
sat  on  him  was  Death,  and  hell  followed  with  him.** 

I  presume  the  most  literal  interpreters  of  the  Word  would 
hardly  think  of  understanding  what  is  here  said  in  its  strictly  lit- 
eral sense.  For  certainly  they  cannot  suppose  that  natural  horses 
could  come  out  of  a  book  when  it  was  unsealed.  This  lanfnia<ye 
therefore  must  be  symbolic.  What  then  does  it  mean  ?  Briefly 
this  : 

The  book  written  within  and  on  the  back  side,  denotes  the  Word 
of  God  in  respect  both  to  its  internal  and  external,  or  its  spiritual 
and  natural  senses.  It  is  said  to  be  sealed  with  seven  seals,  to 
denote,  that,  at  the  time  of  the  last  judgment  which  was  the  con- 
summation of  the  first  Christian  Church,  the  true  meaning  of  the 
Word  was  wholly  concealed  from  the  Church  in  general ;  and  con- 
sequently the  quality  of  men's  lives  was  entirely  unknown,  since 
it  is  truth  from  the  Word  which  alone  reveals  the  real  quality  of 
every  one.  The  number  seven  denotes  all,  or  entirely,  and  is  pre- 
dicated of  what  is  holy.  The  opening  of  the  seals,  which  it  is  said 
was  done  by  the  Lamb,  signifies  exploration  by  the  Lord,  and  con- 
sequent manifestation  of  the  interior  states  of  those  of  the  Church, 
such  as  took  place  with  all  in  the  world  of  spirits  at  the  time  of 
the  last  judgment,  and  such  as  now  takes  place  with  every  one  in 
particular,  when  he  enters  the  spiritual  world.  And  because  the 
quality  of  every  one's  life  can  be  explored  only  by  means  of  truth 
from  the  Word,  therefore  a  manifestation  of  his  state  of  life  must 
be  at  the  same  time  a  manifestation  of  truth  to  his  mind,  or  an  un- 
sealing of  the  Word.  This  is  the  way  that  every  judgment,  both  in 
general  and  in  particular,  which  the  Lord  executes,  is  effected. 

Now  the  understanding  of  the  Word  is  ever  according  to  the 
state  of  the  Church ;  that  is,  according  to  the  quality  of  life  in 
those  who  compose  the  Church.  If  the  state  of  the  Church  be 
pure  and  innocent,  its  understanding  of  the  Word  will  be  clear. 
It  will  see  truth  in  the  light.  Put  if  the  Church  be  corrupt  —  if 
its  will-principle  be  infested  with  evil  loves  —  it  will  pervert,  and 
thus,  in  relation  to  itself,  will  destroy  the  Word  as  to  the  principle 
of  charity  or  good.  I  say  in  relation  to  itself,  because  the  Church, 
or  men  of  the  Church,  cannot  destroy  the  good  of  the  Word  abso- 
lutely, any  more  than  they  can  destroy  the  Lord  ;  but  they  may  so 
abuse  and  adulterate  the  good  of  the  Word  as  to  convert  it  into 
evil,  and  thus  destroy  it,  or  change  its  quality,  in  their  own  minds. 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    SENSE    APPLIED. 


183 


\ 


And  when  they  do  this  —  when  they  violate  the  laws  of  charity 
and  thus  destroy  the  life  of  the  Word  in  themselves,  then  their 
understanding  becomes  obscured,  so  that  truth  is  falsified ;  and 
then,  in  their  minds,  the  Word  is  destroyed  as  to  the  principle  of 
truth  or  faith.  And  when  the  good  of  the  Word  is  adulterated  and 
Its  truth  falsified,  so  that,  inhtmian  minds,  it  is  destroyed  as  to  both 
the  principles  of  good  and  truth,  or  charity  and  faith,  then  there 
IS  spiritual  death  in  the  church.  And  what  follows  ?  Hell :  an 
influx  into  men's  minds  of  all  infernal  principles. 

Now  these  different  and  successive  states  of  the   Church  are 
beautifully  symbolized   in   the   passage   under  consideration,  by 
horses  of  different  colors  seen  coming  out  of  the  book,  when  its 
seals  were  opened  by  the  Lamb  ;  for  a  horse  corresponds  to,  and 
signifies,  the  understanding  of  the  Word.     A  whUe  horse  signifies 
a  clear  and  true  understanding  of  the  Word,  such  as  those  of  the 
primitive   Church  possessed,   who  were   in   states  of  innocence. 
White  is  predicated  of  truth  ;  for  truth  is  spiritual  light.     That 
such  is  the  meaning  of  the  white  horse  that  came  out  of  the  book, 
is  evident  from  the  internal  sense  of  the  words   which  follow  \ 
"And  he  that  sat  on   him  had  a  bow;  and  a  crown  was  given 
unto  him :  and  he  went  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer ; "  by 
which  words  is  denoted  in  general  the  combat  against  false's  and 
evils  from  heU,  and  the  final  victory  over  them  which  those  obtain, 
who  have  a  clear  understanding  of  the  Word,  or  who  sit  upon  the 
white  horse. 

The  red  horse  which  appeared  after  the  white,  denotes  the  un- 
derstanding of  the  Word  destroyed  in  men  as  to  good  or  charity, 
and  thence  as  to  life  —  a  state  which  succeeded  that  of  the  prim- 
itive Church.  Red  is  predicated  of  love,  either  good  or  evil ;  here 
of.  evil  love,  as  is  evident  from  what  follows  ;  for  it  is  said,  '*  and 
[  power  ]  was  given  to  him  that  sat  thereon  to  take  peace  from 
the  earth,  and  that  they  should  kill  one  another  ; "  which  words 
denote  in  general  the  taking  away  of  charity,  spiritual  security, 
and  internal  tranquility  ;  whence  proceed  intestine  feuds,  infesta- 
tions from  the  hells,  and  internal  restlessness  ;  all  of  which  thinos 
take  place  in  the  minds  of  those,  who  have  destroyed  in  themselves 
the  understanding  of  the  Word  as  to  good,  or  who  sit  upon  the 
red  horse. 

A  black  horse,  which  appeared  next,  denotes  the  understanding 
of  the  Word  destroyed  in  men  as  to  the  principle  of  truth,  and 
thus  as  to  doctrine,  which  takes  place  when  the  Word  is  fiilsified  ; 


184 


THE    SACRED    SCRIPTURE. 


KEY    TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    S£NSE    APPLIED. 


186 


for  hlacJc  is  predicated  of  what  is  false,  falsity  being  spiritual  dark- 
ness. Hence  it  is  said  '*And  lie  that  sat  on  him  had  a  pair  of  bal- 
ances in  his  hand,"  which  signifies  the  measure  or  estimation  of 
good  and  truth,  of  what  kind  it  is  with  those  who  have  falsified  the 
Word.  And  a  voice  was  heard  to  say,  *'A  measure  of  wheat  for 
a  penny  and  a  measure  of  barley  for  a  penny,"  which  signifies  that 
the  estimation  of  good  and  truth  with  such  persons  is  so  small  as 
scarcely  to  amount  to  any  thing. 

Last  of  all  came  a  pale  horse  ;  and  by  this  is  denoted  the  under- 
standing of  the  Word  destroyed  in  men  as  to  both  the  principles  of 
good  and  truth,  or  charity  and  faith.  When  this  takes  place,  then 
there  is  spiritual  death,  and  all  infernal  principles  follow  or  flow 
into  the  church.  Paleness  signifies  the  absence  and  deprivation  of 
spiritual  life.  Hence  it  is  said,  ''And  his  name  that  sat  on  him 
was  Death,  and  hell  followed  with  him ;"  which  denotes  in  general 
the  extinction  of  spiritual  Hfe,  and  thence  damnation.  *'And  power 
was  given  unto  him  over  a  fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  the 
sword,  and  with  hunger,  and  with  death,  and  with  the  beasts  of 
the  earth  ;"  which  denotes  the  destruction  of  all  good  in  the  church, 
by  falses  of  doctrine,  by  evils  of  life,  by  the  love  of  self  and  by 
lusts. 

This,  though  a  very  brief  and  general  exposition  of  the  passage 
under  consideration,  will  serve  to  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  its 
internal  contents,  as  developed  by  means  of  the  Science  of  Cor- 
respondences. The  correspondence  and  spiritual  signification  of 
each  of  the  particulars  here  mentioned,  may  be  learned  from  Swe- 
denb org's  work  on  the  Apocalypse. 

Possibly  some  may  not  be  convinced,  from  what  has  here  been 
said,  of  the  truth  of  the  Science  of  Correspondences,  nor  of  its 
importance  as  a  key  to  the  right  interpretation  of  the  Word  of  God. 
If  so,  it  is  hoped  that  they  will,  at  least,  have  the  wisdom  to 
suspend  their  judgment  for  a  time,  and  to  ascribe  such  failure  to 
the  feeble  and  imperfect  manner  in  which  the  Science  has  here  been 
applied,  rather  than  to  any  fault  or  imperfection  in  the  Science 
itself.  I  would  have  them  reflect,  that  a  subject  so  vast  as  this, 
would  require  a  volume  to  unfold  and  present  it  in  a  luminous 
manner;  and  that  the  ablest  mind  could  hardly  be  expected  to  do 
it  tolerable  justice  within  the  narrow  limits  of  two  lectures. 

If,  however,  there  be  any  who  think  they  see  reason  for  believ- 
ing that  there  may  exist  in  the  constitution  of  the  universe  a  cor- 
respondeniial  relation  between  the  natural  and  the  spiritual,  and 


i! 


M 


thus  between  every  natural  object  and  some  spiritual  principle,  as 
between  an  eff'ect  and  its  producing  cause  —  that  this  may  be  a  law 
of  divine  order  in  creation  —  that  the  Sacred  Scripture  also  may  be 
composed  according  to  it,  and  that  therefore  the  Science  of  Corres- 
pondences may  be  the  only  rule  for  the  spiritual  interpretation  of 
the  Scripture,  I  trust  they  will  pursue  the  subject  farther,  and 
seek  to  learn  more  about  this  interesting  and  important  Science  from 
the  writings  of  Swedenborg.  And  I  trust  also  that  they  w^ill  see 
reason  for  believing,  that  a  science  so  important  as  this,  is  a  subject 
well  worthy  of  a  special  revelation ;  that  the  precise  correspond 
dence  and  spiritual  meaning  of  the  various  things  mentioned  in 
Scripture,  covld  not,  indeed,  have  been  found  out  in  any  other  way. 

But  let  such  as  desire  further  knowledge  of  these  things,  be  tem- 
perate in  their  wishes  and  patient  in  their  pursuit.     Let  them  not 
expect  to  comprehend  the  whole  of  the  grand  Science  of  Corres- 
pondences at  once ;  for  it  is  a  Science  which  connects  this  earth 
with  heaven,  and  is  vast  as  the  universe  of  God.     But  let  them 
know  for  their  encouragement,   that  if  they  really  desire  to  have 
their  hearts  purified  from  evil  loves,  and  have  faith  in  the  Sacred 
Scripture  as  the  Word  of  God,  this  Science  shall  be  to  them  what  it 
really  is  •—  *'  the  Key  of  Knowledge  "  —  the  key  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.     By  a  right  application  of  it,  in  simplicity  and  lowliness  of 
mind,  they  may  unlock  the  volume  of  nature,  the  Oracles  of  God, 
and  the  inmost  recesses  of  their  own  souls.     They  may  come  to 
see,  as  they  never  saw  before,  the  perfection  and  beauty  of  the 
Word,  as  well  as  of  the  works,  of  the  Lord.     And  by  shunning  as 
sins  all  the  evils  which  the  radiant  light  of  the  spiritual  sense  of 
Scripture  reveals,  they  shall  open  in  their  souls  the  gate  of  heaven, 
through  which  the  streams  of  living  water  from  their  eternal  Foun- 
tain, will  gush  warm  and  free  to  water  in  their  minds  the  Garden 
of  God. 


16 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


187 


LECTURE   VIII. 


THE   TRINITY,    AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF   RELIGIOUS    WORSHIP. 


"Lo,  this  is  our  God." — Isaiah  xxv.  9. 

When  Paul  was  about  to  proclaim  at  Athens  the  truths  of  the 
first  Christian  Dispensation,  **some  said  *  What  will  this  babbler 
say  V  other  some,  *He  seemeth  to  be  a  setter  forth  of  strange 
gods,'  because  he  preached  to  them  Jesus  and  the  resurrection. 
And  they  took  him  and  brought  him  unto  Areopagus,  saying. 
*  May  we  know  what  this  new  doctrine  whereof  thou  speakest,  is  ? 
For  thou  bringest  certain  strange  things  to  our  ears  :  we  would 
know,  therefore,  what  these  things  mean  ?'  *' 

*'  Then  Paul  stood  in  the  midst  of  Mars'  Hill,  (or  court  of  the 
Areopagus,)  and  said,  *  Ye  men  of  Athens,  I  perceive  that  in  all 
things  ye  are  very  religiously  inclined.*  For  as  I  passed  by,  and 
beheld  your  devotions,  I  found  an  altar  with  this  inscription.  To 
THE  UNKNOWN  GoD.  Whom  therefore  ye  ignorantly  worship,  Him 
declare  I  unto  you.'  And  when  he  preached  unto  them  the  doc- 
trine concerning  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord,  some  mocked  ;  and 
others  said,  *  We  will  hear  thee  again  of  this  [matter.]'"  — 
(Acts  xvii.) 

It  might  reasonably  be  expected,  therefore,  that  similar  things 
would  occur  at  the  present  time,  whenever  the  doctrines  of  the 
New  Christian  Dispensation  are  publicly  proclaimed.  When  the 
doctrine  concerning  the  true  Object  of  worship,  as  taught  in  the 
revelations  made  for  the  New  Church,  is  proclaimed  in  the  ears  of 
those,  upon  the  altar  of  whose  hearts  is  traced  the  inscription.  To 
THE  UNKNOWN  GoD,  it  Is  uot  Surprising  that  he  who  preaches  the 
new  doctrine  should  appear -to  some  as  **a  setter  forth  of  strange 
gods."  And  when  we  proclaim  the  glorious  doctrine  of  the  Lord's 
resurrection  —  the  doctrine  of  His  second  appearing  in  the  Dower- 
ful  and  glorious  truths  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  wl.ich  is 
a  resurrection  of  His  own  truth  from  a  state  of  darkness  and  death 
in  the  Church,  to  one  of  light  and  hfe  —  it  is  not  strange  that 


*  This  is  the  correct  translation  of  the  original  Greek. 

186 


some,  when  they  hear  of  this  resurrection  from  the  dead,  should 
"mock."  But  there  is  cause  of  devout  thankfulness  in  the  fact, 
that  so  many  are  ready  to  say,  **We  will  hear  thee  again  of  this 
matter." 

I  design,  in  this  lecture,  to  exhibit  the  New  Church  doc- 
trine concerning  the  Divine  Trinity,  and  true  Object  of  religious 
worship. 

And  it  must  be  admitted  by  all  who  acknowledge  God  as  the 
Creator  and  Disposer  of  all  things,  and  the  Source  of  all  truth, 
love,  and  life,  that  the  doctrine  concerning  this  Object  of  our  wor- 
ship, is  the  grand,  central  doctrine  of  the  Christian  religion.  It  is 
the  great  Sun  at  the  centre  of  the  Christian  system.  If,  therefore, 
the  doctrine  of  the  Lord,  as  received  and  acknowledged  in  the 
Church,  be  true,  then  the  minds  of  men  can  receive  from  Him 
spiritual  light  and  heat,  and  make  steady  and  orderly  progress  in 
spiritual  life  ;  just  as  all  the  opaque  bodies  in  our  solar  system, 
circle  the  sun  in  a  steady  and  orderly  progression,  and  receive 
from  lijim  their  light  and  warmth.  But  if  this  central  doctrine,  as 
received  by  men,  be  false,  then  darkness,  disorder,  and  confusion 
upon  all  religious  subjects,  must  of  necessity  pervade  the  Church. 
For  then,  in  respect  to  human  minds,  the  sun  is  darkened;  and  as  a 
necessary  consequence,  *'  the  earth  reels  to  and  fro  like  a  drunkard." 
**  All  her  foundations  are  out  of  course."  Such  things  then  take 
place  in  the  whole  system  of  religious  doctrines,  as  are  fitly  repre- 
sented, because  of  their  correspondence,  by  that  chaotic  state  into 
which  this  natural  world  would  be  thrown,  if  the  sun  were  extin- 
guished, and  the  power  which  holds  the  planets  in  their  orbits 
annihilated.  Human  minds  are  then  hurled  into  wild  disorder  and 
confusion,  and  left  to  the  guidance  of  a  wayward  fancy,  or  to  move 
blindly  forward  on  their  eternal  course. 

There  have  been  men  in  all  ages  of  the  Church,  who  have  seen 
and  acknowledged  the  supreme  importance,  in  a  practical  point  of 
view,  of  possessing  right  apprehensions  of  God.  Scott,  in  his 
**  Christian  Life,"  says  : 

"  Whilst  we  are  ignorant  of  God's  nature,  or  possessed  with  wrong 
and  false  apprehensions  of  it,  we  must  necessarily  wander  in  the  dark, 
and  neither  know  what  to  do,  nor  how  to  behave  ourselves  towards 
Him.  For,  how  can  we  imagine  what  will  please  or  displease  a  dark 
and  unknown  nature,  whose  bent  and  inclinations  we  are  utterly  un- 
acquainted with  ]  But  if  we  are  under  false  apprehensions  of  his 
nature,  they  must  necessarily  mislead  us  in  our  behavior  towards  Him, 


188 


THE    TRINITY, 


jind  put  us  upon  false  ways  of  serving  and  pleasing  Him." — Right 
Apprehensions  of  God.  vol.  ii.  p.  161. 

The  supreme  importance  of  the  doctrine  concerning  the  Lord, 
maybe  inferred  from  this  first  and  greatest  commandment,  **  Thou 
shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind."  (Matt.  xxii.  37.)  For  unless  we 
know  who  and  what  the  Lord  is,  how  can  w^e  love  Him  ?  If  our 
minds  be  unenlightened  on  this  point,  our  love  can  at  best  be  but 
a  blind  impulse.  And  if  we  be  falsely  instructed  hereon,  our  love 
will  then  be,  not  of  the  true  but  of  a  false  God  ;  —  some  offspring 
of  human  intelligence ;  —  an  idol  of  silver  or  gold,  the  work  of 
men's  hands.  If,  therefore,  men  are  uninstructed,  or  falsely  in- 
structed, concerning  Him  whom  they  profess  to  worship,  they  either 
''worship  they  know  not  what,"  or  they  worship  a  mere  name,  or 
some  imaginary  being  quite  other  than  the  true  and  only  God  ; 
either  of  which  is  spiritual  idolatry. 

Accordingly  Swedenborg  says  : 

"  On  the  knowlejlg'e  and  acknowledgment  of  God,  depends  the  sal- 
vation of  every  one  ;  for  the  universal  heaven,  and  the  universal 
Church  on  earth,  and  in  general,  all  religion,  has  its  foundation  in  a 
just  idea  of  God  ;  because  hereby  there  is  conjunction,  and  by  con- 
junction, light,  wisdom,  and  eternal  happiness." — A.  R.  n.  469. 

Again : 

"Of  how  great  importance  it  is  to  have  a  just  idea  of  God,  may  be 
evident  from  this,  that  the  idea  of  God  makes  the  inmost  thoughts 
with  all  who  have  religion  ;  for  all  things  of  religion  and  all  things  of 
worship  have  respect  to  God.  And  because  God  is  universally  and 
particularly  in  all  things  of  religion  and  worship,  therefore,  unless 
there  is  a  just  idea  of  God,  no  communication  can  be  given  with  the 
heavens.  Hence  it  is,  that  every  nation  in  the  spiritual  world  is 
allotted  a  place  according  to  his  idea  of  God  as  Man  ;  for  in  this  and 
in  no  other  is  the  idea  of  the  Lord.  That  the  state  of  man's  hfe  after 
death  is  according  to  the  idea  of  God  confirmed  in  himself,  appears 
manifestly  from  its  opposite,  that  the  denial  of  God  makes  hell  ;  and  in 
Christendom,  the  denial  of  the  divinity  of  the  Lord." — D.  L.  W.  n.  13. 

This  is  confirmed  by  the  words  of  the  Lord  in  John  :  "And  this 
is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and 
Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent."  (xvii.  3).  To  have  such  a 
knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  those  possess  who  are  instructed  in  the 
true  doctrine  concerninof  Him,  and  who  at  the  same  time  do  His 
will,  is  to  drink  of  the  Fountain  of  Eternal  Life,  and  to  enjoy  the 
happiness  of  heaven. 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT   OF    WORSHIP. 


189 


I 


\ 


Now  it  is  repeatedly  affirmed  in  the  revelations  made  for  the 
New  Church,  that  this  great  central  doctrine  of  rehgion  —  the  doc- 
trine concerning  the  Lord  —  as  generally  taught  from  the  pulpits, 
and  in  the  catechisms,  creeds,  commentaries,  and  confessions  of 
faith,  is  not  true  but  false.  Consequently  the  Sun  of  the  Christian 
Church  has  become  darkened  ;  an  event  which,  according  to  the 
Lord's  own  declaration,  was  to  take  place  at  the  consummation 
of  the  Age.  (See  Matt.  xxiv.  29  ;  Mark  xiii.  24).  It  is  also 
alleged  in  these  revelations,  that,  because  this  fundamental  doc- 
trine of  religion,  as  taught  in  the  Christian  Church,  is  false,  thei*e- 
fore  the  doctrine  of  the  Atonement,  of  Regeneration,  and,  indeed, 
all  the  doctrines  which  grow  out  of  this  one  concerning  the  Lord, 
and  which  depend  upon  it  as  their  foundation,  are  likewise  false. 
For  a  solid  and  enduring  superstructure  can  be  reared  only  upon 
a  solid  foundation ;  and  if  the  central  doctrine  of  any  system  be 
wrong,  all  the  subordinate  and  derivative  doctrines  must  necessarily 
be,  not  truths  but  falses  ;  and  consequently  the  whole  system  must 
also  be  wrong. 

According  to  Swedenborg,  therefore,  all  that  sptem  of  false 
doctrines  of  religion,  which  exists  in  the  Christian  Church,  is  the 
legitimate  offspring  of  the  false  doctrine  concerning  Him,  from  whom 
alone  cometh  all  truth,  as  well  of  doctrine  as  of  hfe.  Hence  the  spir- 
itual consummation  and  end  of  the  first  Christian  Church,  was  a  ne- 
cessary consequence  of  the  falsification  of  the  great  doctrine  con- 
cerning the  Lord. 

Before  presenting  the  New  Church  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  it 
may  be  expedient  briefly  to  consider  the  Old  and  commonly  received 
doctrine  on  this  subject ;  as  truth  can  generally  be  most  clearly 
discerned,  when  viewed  in  contrast  with  its  opposite. 

It  is  not,  however,  a  pleasant  task,  that  of  exposing  the  falsity  of 
doctrines  which  are  maintained  and  taught  by  a  large  proportion 
of  the  professed  Christian  world.  It  is  a  task  which  I  would 
gladly  excuse  myself  from  performing,  could  I  do  so  consistently 
with  the  requirements  of  those  two  commandments,  on  which  all 
the  law  and  the  prophets  hang.  But  truth  cannot  descend  into 
human  minds  and  find  there  an  abiding-place,  until  error  has  been 
driven  out ;  and  before  error  can  be  driven  out,  it  must  be  exposed, 
and  shown  to  be  error.  Duty,  therefore,  demands  that  I  speak 
with  freedom  and  plainness  concerning  that  fundamental  error  in 
religion,  which  is  received  and  taught  as  a  fundamental  truth  by 
the  prevailing  sects  in  Christendom. 


190 


THE   TRINITY, 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


191 


The  doctrine  concerning  the  Divine  Trinity  as  generally  received 
and  taught,  is  this  :  that  there  are  three  persons,  the  same  in  sub- 
stance, equal  in  power  and  glory,  which  together  constitute  one 
God..  That  I  might  state  the  doctrine  fairly,  as  it  is  held  and 
taught  by  different  religious  denominations  now,  and  in  this  coun- 
try, I  have  examined  the  Catechisms  used  in  the  Sabbath  Schools 
of  the  Methodist,  Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Episcopal  Churches  ; 
presuming  that,  in  books  designed  expressly  for  the  instruction  of 
children,  I  should  find  the  doctrine  expressed  in  the  simplest  and 
clearest  manner  possible.  And  in  three  of  these  Catechisms  there 
occur  the  following  question  and  answer  : 

Q.     **  How  ma.nj  persons  are  there  in  the  Godhead  ? 
A.     *'  There  are  three  persons  in  the  Godhead  ;  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  these  three  are  one  God;  the  same 
in  substance,  equal  in  power  and  glory.'* 

In  the  other  Catechism  the  same  thing  is  stated,  though  in  little 
different  lanimaefe. 

In  the  Confession  of  Faith  which  is  found  in  the  Constitution  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States,  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  is  stated  thus :  '*  In  unity  of  the  Godhead  there  be  three 
persons  of  one  substance,  power  and  eternity :  God  the  Father, 
God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost."     (Chap.  2,  §  3.) 

This  then  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  as  taught  by  the  prevail- 
ing religious  sects  of  the  present  day.  It  is  the  doctrine  of  three 
persons  in  one  God. 

Now  what  idea  does  a  child  derive  from  this  language  ?  Has 
he  no  idea  of  the  meaning  of  person  ?  Then  the  language  is  un- 
intelligible to  him,  and  therefore  nothing  is  taught  by  it.  But 
probably  there  is  not  a  word  in  our  language,  which  is  more  clearly 
and  distinctly  defined  in  a  child's  mind,  and,  indeed,  in  the  mind  of 
every  one,  than  person.  And  however  his  lips  may  be  forced  to 
say  "  there  are  not  three  but  one  God,"  nevertheless,  while  he 
is  taught  to  believe  that  there  are  three  persons  in  the  Godhead,  in 
the  idea  of  his  thought  tEere  are,  and  must  be,  three  Gods. 
And  this  must  be  the  case  not  only  with  respect  to  children, 
but  also  with  respect  to  persons  of  mature  minds,  who  ac- 
knowledge the  doctrine  of  three  persons  in  the  Godhead ;  for  in 
every  mind  the  word  person  has  a  clear  and  well  defined  meaning. 
And  I  would  ask  every  one  who  is,  or  ever  has  been,  in  the  ac- 
knowledgment of  this  tri-personal  doctrine,  to  consider  whether 
the  three  persons  in  the  Godhead  are  not,  in  his  mind,  as  distinct 


from  each  other  as  Peter,  James,  and  John,  or  as  any  three  per- 
sons with  whom  he  is  acquainted  :  and  if  so,  whether  he  does  not 
really  think  of  three  Gods,  however  he  may  say  there  is  only  one. 
It  is  at  the  thought  in  the  understanding,  and  not  at  the  mere  confes- 
sion of  the  lips,  that  a  man  must  look,  in  order  to  ascertain  what  he 
really  believes  ;  for  it  is  with  the  thought,  and  not  with  the  lips, 
that  we  believe.  If  we  really  believe  in  only  one  God,  then  we 
think  of  only  one  divine  person.  And  on  the  other  hand  if  we 
think  of  three  divine  persons,  then  we  actually  believe  in  the  ex- 
istence of  three  Gods  ;  and  saying  with  the  lips  there  is  only  one, 
can  by  no  means  alter  or  affect  our  belief. 

There  is  no  possible  escape  from  this,  except  by  subordinating, 
in  thought,  two  of  the  persons  to  the  third  ;  i.  e.,  by  thinking  of 
the  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit  as  inferior  persons  to  the  Father.  But 
this  is  a  virtual  denial  of  the  doctrine,  which  teaches  that  the 
three  persons  are  "the  same  in  substance,  equal  in  power  and 
glory."  Any  inferiority  of  the  person  of  the  Son  to  that  of 
the  Father,  even  in  the  idea  of  one's  thought,  is  a  virtual  denial  of 
the  Son's  divinity  ;  for  absolute  divinity  can  admit  of  no  inferiority. 
And  the  same  may  be  said  in  reference  to  the  third  person  in  the 
Trinity,  or  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Hear  what  one  of  the  profoundest  theologians  of  our  country  — 
himself  of  the  orthodox  school  too,  —  says  upon  this  subject : 

"  A  very  large  portion  of  the  Christian  teachers,  together  with  the 
general  mass  of  disciples,  undoubtedly  hold  three  real  living  persons 
in  the  interior  nature  of  God  ;  that  is,  three  consciousnesses,  wills, 
hearts,  understandings.  Certain  passages  of  Scripture  supposed  to 
represent  the  three  persons  as  covenanting,  co-operating,  and  co- 
presiding,  are  taken,  accordingly  so  to  affirm,  in  the  most  literal 
and  dogmatic  sense.  .  .  .  But  our  properly  orthodox  teachers  and 
Churches,  while  professing  three  persons,  also  retain  the  verbal  pro- 
fession of  one  person.  They  suppose  themselves  really  to  hold  that 
God  is  one  person.  And  yet  they  most  certainly  do  not ;  they  only 
confuse  their  understanding,  and  call  their  confusion  faith.  .  .  .  No 
man  can  assert  three  persons,  meaning  three  consciousnesses,  wills, 
and  understandings,  and  still  have  any  intelligent  meaning  in  his 
mind,  when  he  asserts  that  they  are  one  person."  —  BushneWs  God 
in  Christ,  pp.  130,  131. 

And  the  same  writer  speaking  of  the  ''dismal  confusion"  which 
the  commonly  received  doctrine  of  a  tri-personal  God,  is  seen  to 
produce  in  the  minds  of  those  who  receive  it,  uses  the  following 
plain  and  forcible  language  : 


j 


192 


THE  TRINITY, 


"  [  Among]  those  who  range  themselves  under  this  view  of  meta- 
physical tri-pe-sonality,  mournful  evidence  will  be  found,  that  a  con- 
tused and  painfully  bewildered  state  is  often  produced  by  it      They 
are    practically  at  work,  in    their    thoughts,  to  choose  between  the 
three  ;  sometimes  actually  and  decidedly  preferring  one  to  another  • 
doubting    how  to    adjust   their  mind   in    worship;    uncertain,  often! 
which  of  the  three  to  obey;  turning  away,  possibly,  from  one  in  a 
feeling  of  dread  that  might  well  be  called  aversion  ;  devotincr  them- 
selves to  another,  as   the    Romanist  to  his  patron  saint.      This    in 
fact,  IS  polytheism,  and  not  the  clear,  simple  love  of  God.     There  is 
true  love  in  it,  doubtless,  but  the  comfort  of  love  is  not  here      The 
mind  is  involved  in  a  dismal  confusion,  which  we  cannot  think  of 
without  the  sincerest    pity.      No  soul  can  truly  rest  in  God,  when 
God  is  two  or   three,  and    these  in  such  a  sense  that  a  choice  be- 
tween  them  must  be  continually  suggested."—/^.;,.  134. 

This,  from  the  pen  of  one,  who  was  himself  born  and  educated  in 
the  orthodox  school  of  theology,  and  who  has  been  for  many  years, 
and  still  continues,  a  public  teacher  in  the  same  school.  He  can- 
not, therefore,  be  suspected  of  any  disposition  to  exaggerate  the 
facts  ;  but  would  naturally  incline  to  the  most  favorable  view  of 
this  fundamental  doctrine,  as  received  by  his  own  Church. 

Other  trinitarian  writers,  besides  Dr.  Bushnell,  have  felt  the  dif- 
ficulties with  which  this  tri-personal  theory  is  attended,  and  have 
seen  the  danger,  on  the  one  hand  of  either  believing  in  more  than 
one  God,  or  on  the  other  of  denying  the  divinity  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  and  deeply  have  they  lamented  the  introduction  of 
the  word  persons  when  speaking  of  the  Trinity,  saying  that  they 
believe  not  exactly  in  three  persons  but  only  in  three  somew/iats, 
(See  Home's  Introduction,  dx.) 

Even  Professor  Stuart  thinks  it  extremely  unfortunate  that  this 
word  persons  was  ever  introduced  into  the  Symbols  of  the  Church  • 
for,  he  says,  it  is  not  believed  that  there  are  re-dWy  three  persons  in 
the  Godhead,  but  only  that  there  is  a  real  distinction.  (  See  Let- 
ters to  Dr,  Channiny,  dc.)  But  none  of  these  learned  men  throw 
much  light  upon  the  subject'by  the  new  terms  which  they  propose 
to  employ.  For  they  do  not  tell  us  what  the  real  distinction  or  three 
somewhats  are.  Besides,  when  they  come  to  their  doctrine  of  the 
Atonement,  one  of  these  somexvhats  becomes  a  person  by  a  logical 
necessity.  ^ 

But  it  may  be  shown  still  more  clearly,  that  those  who  really 
believe  m  a  trinity  of  persons  in  the  Godhead,  do  actually  believe 
•n  three   Gods,  however  they  may  profess  with  their  lips  to  beheve 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


193 


i 


in  only  one.     For  it  is  taught  by  those  who  hold  this  doctrine,  that 
the  Father,  or  first  person,  is   God,  and  is  infinite,  eternal,   and 
divine  ;  that  the  Son,  or  second  person,  is  also  God,  who  is  infinite, 
eternal,  and  divine  ;  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  or  third  person,  is 
God,  who  is  likewise  infinite,  eternal,  and  divine.     Now  can  the 
existence  of  three  infinite,   eternal,  divine  persons,  thus  of  three 
Gods,  be  stated  in    clearer   language  than    this  ?     And   are  not 
those  who  really  believe   this,  guilty  of  a  palpable  contradiction 
when  they  say  that  they  believe  in  only  one  God  ?     Moreover,  the 
different  oflftces  which  they  assign  to  each  of  the  persons  of  this 
trinity  in  the  work  of  redemption  and  regeneration,  show  that  the 
■persons  are  as  distinct  in  their  minds  as  any  three  individuals  can  be. 
In  the  Assembly's  Catechism,  which  is  now  used  by  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  this  country,  we  find  given,  as  a  reason  for  be- 
lieving that  there  is  more  than  one  person  in  the   Godhead,  this 
passage  from  Genesis,  (  i.  26,  )  "  God   said  let  us  make  man." 
But  in  making  this  quotation  from  the  Word,  we  observe  that  a 
sentence  has  been  broken  in  the  middle  ;  which,  when  given  entire 
would  prove,  one  should  think,  even  to  the  mind  of  a  child  of  com- 
mon understanding,  the  falsity  of  the  doctrine  taught  in  the  Cate- 
chism.    The  sentence  unbroken  reads  thus  :  '*  And  God  said  let 
us    make   man   in   our  image,  after   our  likeness.''     And  in   the 
next  verse  it  is  added,  '*  So  God   created  man  in  his  oum  image,  in 
the  image  of  God  created  He  him." 

Now  if,  as  the  Divine  Word  here  teaches,  man  was  created  an 
image  and  likeness  of  God,  and  if  there  be,  as  the  prevailing  theo- 
logy teaches,  a  trinity  of  persons  in  God,  then,  as  a  fair  and  logical 
sequence,  there  must  be  a  trinity  of  persons  in  man. 

We  see,  therefore,  that  the  Bible  as  plainly  teaches  that  there 
are  three  persons  in  each  and  every  man,  as  it  does  that  there  are 
three  persons  in  the  one  only  God ;  for  it  teaches  that  man  was 
created  in  God's  own  image.  Consequently  in  the  same  sense  that 
God  is  tri-personal,  man  is  tri-personal.  We  shall  be  able  to  un- 
derstand how  this  is,  when  we  come  to  consider  the  doctrine  on 
this  subject  as  revealed  for  the  New  Church. 

But  it  is  usual,  I  know,  for  theologians  to  abjure  everything  like 
reason  upon  this  subject.  They  tell  us  that  it  is  a  dark  and  in- 
scrutable mystery— a  doctrine  which  the  human  mind  cannot  com- 
prehend, but  which  we  must  believe  nevertheless.  In  other  words, 
we  nvisL  believe  something  which  we  cannot  understand  —  which 
17 


194 


THE    TRINIir, 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


196 


does  not  enter  the  mind  in  any  intelligible  form  --  which  does  in  no 
wise  address  man's  rational  faculty,  and  which  appears  like  a  self- 
contradictory  proposition  !  Every  one  must  see  that  such  a  belief 
is  merely  of  the  lips.  It  is  not  a  real,  internal  belief,  since  it  is 
acknowledged  that  the  thing  professed  to  be  beheved,  is  what  the 
understanding  can  take  no  cognizance  of, —  and  with  which,  there- 
fore, it  can  have  nothing  to  do.  Is  a  belief,  I  ask,  which  is  only 
of  the  lips,  a  real  belief  ? 

Besides,  once  admit  the  principle,  that  we  may  believe  without 
any  exercise  of  the  understanding  —  believe  things  which  the  ra- 
tional faculty  rejects  as  absurd  and  self-contradictory,  and  we  tear 
away  the  ramparts  of  a  true  Church  —  we  destroy  in  ourselves 
the  only  safe-guard  of  true  rehgion ;  for  we  deny  to  the  human 
mind  the  power  of  discriminating  between  the  false  and  the  true, 
and  thus  leave  it  exposed  to  the  influx  of  all  the  wild  speculations, 
delusive  fancies,  and  false  doctrines,  which  have  ever  deluoed  the 
Church.  If  men  are  not  to  exercise  their  rational  faculty  upon 
doctrines  which  they  are  required  to  believe,  I  ask  how  they  are 

to  know  whether  the  doctrines  which  they  receive  be  true  or  false, 

from  heaven  or  from  hell? 

"  Shut  people's  eyes,"  says  Swedenborg,  *'  stop  their  ears,  and 
cause  them  not  to  think  from  any  understanding  ;  then  might  you 
not  induce  them  to  believe  that  God  hath  given  all  his  power  to 
a  man,  (  the  Pope,)  that  he  might  be  as  God  upon  earth  ?  Might 
you  not  induce  them  to  beheve,  that  dead  men  ought  to  be  in- 
voked ?  That  people  ought  to  uncover  their  heads,  and  fall  down 
upon  their  knees  before  their  images  ?  And  that  their  carcasses, 
bones,  and  sepulchres,  are  sacred  and  ought  to  be  venerated  ? 
But  if  you  open  your  eyes  and  unstop  your  ears,  i,  e.,  if  you  think 
of  these  things  from  any  understanding,  will  you  not  view  them  as 
enormities,  which  human  reason  must  abominate  ? 

*'  When  these  things  and  the  like,  are  received  by  a  man  whose 
understanding  is  shut  up  from  a  principle  of  religion,  may  not  the 
temple  in  which  he  performs  divine  worship  be  then  compared  to  a 
den  or  cavern  under  ground,  where  he  does  not  know  what  the  ob- 
jects are  which  he  sees  ?  And  may  not  his  rehgion  be  compared 
to  hving  in  a  house  in  which  there  are  no  windows  ?  And  his  voice 
when  he  worships,  to  inarticulate  sound  ?"     {D.  F.  n.  47,  48.) 

Thus  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  while  they  teach  that 
man's  rational  faculty  was  not  given  that  he  might  originate  truth, 
or  be  proud  of  his  own  intelligence  and  think  himself  as  God,  they 


« 


\ 


at  the  same  time  teach  that  this  faculty  was  not  given  to  be  de-  - 
spised,  trampled  on,  or  disregarded  ;  but,  in  meekness  and  lowliness 
of  mind,  and  in  humble  acknowledgment  of  Him  who  gave  it,  to 
be  exercised  in  discriminating  between  the  false  and  the  true — be- 
tween doctrines  which  men  have  invented,  and  those  revealed  from 
heaven  by  the  true  and  living  God. 

And  whoever  neglects  the  use  of  this  faculty,  so  far  as  to  2>rof ess 
to  believe  a  doctrine  which  he  does  not  at  all  comprehend,  and  thus, 
by  subjecting  his  understanding  to  his  faith,  believes  blindly,  fails  to 
employ  this  faculty  to  the  end  for  which  it  was  given  ;  and  in  so 
doino-  he  sins  ao-ainst  God,  and  takes  one  immense  step  towards  the 

ruin  of  his  soul.* 

The  Scripture  often  insists  upon  belief  or  faith,  as  a  thing  essen- 
tial to  salvation  ;  but  it  nowhere  requires  us  to  beUeve  blindly,  but 
under  standingly.  It  requires  us  to  walk,  not  in  darkness,  but  in 
the  light.  It  is  written,  ''  Give  me  understanding,  and  I  shall  keep 
thy  law,"  (Ps.  cxix.  34.)  ''Through  thy  precept  I  get  under- 
standing," {v.  104.)  ''Thy  Word  is  a  lamp  unto  my  feet  and  a 
light  unto  my  path,"  (v.  105.)  "  The  entrance  of  thy  words 
giveth  light,  it  giveth  understanding  unto  the  simple."  {v.  130.) 
"  The  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making  wise  the  simple. 
The  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure,  enlightening  the  eyes.'* 
(xix.  7,  8.)  Now  if  the  commonly  received  doctrine  of  three  per- 
sons in  one  God,  giveth  no  understanding  to  the  simple,  nor  maketh 
them  wise — if  it  be  not  a  light  unto  any  one's  path,  and  doth  not 

*  It  is  sometimes  said,  that,  because  we  cannot  understand  how  there  can 
be  three  persons  in  one  God,  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  believe  it ; — that 
we  cannot  understand  how  the  grass  grows,  or  the  blood  circulates,  and  yet 
we  believe  the  facts.     But  this  mode  of  reasoning  is  extremely  fallacious. 
For  those  who  argue   in  this  way  assume  that  the  propositions  "  There  are 
three  persons  in  one  God,"  and  "The  grass  grows,"  are  similar  ;  when  in 
reality  they  are  totally  unlike.     All   that  is  affirmed  in  the  latter  proposition 
is  perfectly  intelligible  ;  and  that  Is  a  simple  fact.     The  manner  how  the  grass 
grows  is  not  affirmed,  and  is  quite  another  and  different  proposition.     Suppose 
we  should  say,  "  there  is  a  circle  of  such  a  peculiar  construction  that  it  is  at 
the  same  time  a  circle  and  a  square.''     Who  cannot  perceive  that  such  a  prop- 
osition is  of  a  very  different  kind  from  this — "  the  blood  circulates  ?"     The 
\atter  is  an  intelligible  proposition,  although  we  do  not  understand  how  it  cir- 
tulates.     But  the  same  cannot  be  said  of  the  former.     The  thing  which  is 
^rmed  can  by  no  means  enter  the  mind.     Therefore  it  is  extremely  unfair 
to  say  that  we  can  believe  there  are  three  persons  in  one  God,  though  we 
may  not  understand  how  it  is,  as  well  as  we  can  believe  that  the  grass  grows, 
when  we  do  not  understand  how  it  grows.     It  is  unfair,  because  those  who 
argue  thus,  assume  that  the  two  propositions  are  similar,  when  they  are  not. 


^ 


196 


THK    TRINITY, 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


If 


•enlighten  the  eyes,  it  is  clearly  not  a  doctrine  of  divine  Revelation, 
but  one  of  human  contrivance;  for  it  has  none  of  the  characteris- 
tics ot  truth,  or  of  doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy  Word. 

Now,  so  far  from  enlightening  any  one's  eyes,  or  giving  him  un- 
derstandmg,  this  tri-personal  doctrine  is  acknowledged  to  be  a  doc- 
trme  which  cannot  enter  the  human  understanding,  and  with  which 
the  rationality  of  man  has  nothing  to  do.     Thus  it  is  virtually  con- 
ceded, that  the  central  doctrine  of  religion  as  held  and  taught  by 
he  great  body  of  the  Church,  and  whose  reception  ought  to  illus- 
trate the  human  mind  in  an  eminent  degree,  is  not  an  enlightening 
but  a  darkening  doctrine.     How  then  can  those  who  have  con? 
firmed  themselves  in  this  doctrine,  be  much  enlightened  upon  the 
other  subordinate  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion  ?     Let  the  sun 
be  blotted  out  from  the  heavens,  and  what  could  people  see  ' 

It  is  on  account  of  the  many  difficulties  with  which  this  doctrine 
of  the  tn-personahty  of  God  is  embarrassed,  and  the  impossibility 
of  really  believing  it  without  believing  in  three  Gods,  that  no  incon- 
suierable  portion  of  the  Old  Church  have  come  to  an  open  de,"l 
of  the  Divimty  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This,  doubtless,  has 
seemed  to  them  the  only  way  of  escape  from  the  doctrine  of  tri- 

selves  Lnitanans,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  now,  and  always 
was,  as  dependent  for  all  his  wis.lom.  love,  and  life,  upon  another 
div.ne  Being  called  the  Father,  as  any  one  of  us.     And  because  it 
IS  this  derived  and  dependent  existence  of  human  bein<rs  which 
constitutes  the  essential  diflerence  between  the  Crea!or°a'nd  the 
created -between  God  and  man  -  therefore  it  follows  that  Unita- 
rians believe  Jesus  Christ  to  be  a  mere  man,  however  some  of  their 
number  may  shrink  from  this  naked  confession.     He  may  be  more 
a  man  than  any  other,  as  Unitarians  believe  and  teach;  but  this 
does  not  make  him  more  than  man.     One  individual  may  be  much 
wiser  than  another,  or  may  receive  the  divine  principles  of  love  and 
truth  in  far  greater  fulness  ;  but  he  is  not  on  this  account  to  be  re- 

our  Lord's  T-^""'"?  ''""  '"^"-  ^"^  '^'  circumstance  of 
our  Lord  s  having  only  a  dependent  and  derived  existence,  instead 
of  being  self-subsistent,  is  what,  if  true,  would  make  Him  S^ 
human  and  not  divine— nothing  more  than  man. 

It  cannot  be  doubted  that  there  are  multitudes  who  have  not  vet 

beW  V  ?K  •  ?'  '"'T  "'  ''"'  ^"''^"^"«'  -1^°  nevertheless 
believe  it  m  their  hearts.     If  one  will  notice  particularly  the  prayers 

which  are  offered  in  Trinitarian  pulpits,  he  will  see  abundan   id 


cations  of  this  belief,  viz  :  that  the  Father  or  first  person  in  the 
Trinity  is  the  supreme  God,  and  that  Jesus  Christ  is  one  of  a  some- 
what subordinate  rank  ;  and  any  subordination  of  rank,  even  men- 
tally assigned  Him,  is,  as  I  have  before  said,  a  virtual  denial  of 
his  Divinity.  P^or  absolute  Divinity  admits  of  no  subordination  or 
inferiority. 

But  if  Unitarians,  and  all  who  are  inclined  to  their  doctrines, 
would  reflect  upon  this  fact,  viz  :  tliat  every  great  falsity  which  has 
been  as  universally  prevalent  as  the  doctrine  of  three  persons  in  the 
Godhead,  is  generally  a  falsification  of  the  genuine  truth  —  the 
truth  perverted  by  some  diatortion,  and  not  by  something  super- 
added —  if,  I  say,  they  would  reflect  upon  this,  they  would  see 
reason,  not  for  rejecting  entirely  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  but  rather 
for  believing  that  the  doctrine  as  commonly  received  is  a  distor- 
tion of  the  truth.  And  thus  they  would  endeavor  to  find  the  gen- 
uine doctrine  concerning  the  Trinity,  which,  by  falsification,  has 
become  corrupted  into  a  Trinity  of  persoyis.'^ 


*  The  way  in  which  the  truth  upon  this  subject  became  distorted,  appears 
manifest  from  Ecclesiastical  History.  It  was  not  until  the  early  part  of  the 
fourth  century,  that  the  Divine  Trinity  became  a  subject  of  controversy  in 
the  Church.  To  the  decision  of  the  celebrated  council  of  Nice  convoked  in 
the  year  325,  may  be  traced  the  origin  of  the  tri-personality  of  God,  which, 
with  various  modifications  and  modes  of  explanation,  has  existed  ever  since 
in  the  Church,  as  its  fundamental  and  leading  doctrine.  In  this  Nicene  coun- 
cil, the  doctrine  of  Arius,  on  whose  account  it  was  convoked,  was  formally  con- 
demned :  —  a  doctrine  which  taught  that  the  Son  of  God  was  a  created  being, 
totally  and  essentially  distinct  from  and  inferior  to  the  Father,  both  in  nature, 
person,  and  dignity.  The  council,  in  opposition  to  this  doctrine,  declared  that 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  were  three  hypostases  —  that  they  were 
ojuoovTiotj  [  homoousioi,]  of  the  same  nature,  dignity  and  essence,  equal  and 
consubsiantial.  And  from  the  words  in  which  the  decision  of  that  council  is 
expressed,  there  is  no  reason  for  supposing  that  they  entertained  any  thing 
like  the  common  idea  of  three  persons  in  the  Trinity  —  a  doctrine  that  was 
subsequently  evolved  or  extorted  from  them.  For  the  Greek  word  vTraa-rc/a-ie 
[hypostasis,]  properly  signifies  the  bisis,  substance,  or  ground  of  being, — 
that  which  is  essential  to  the  existence  of  any  thing.  The  language  of  the 
Nicene  council  therefore,  properly  translated,  would  convey  this  idea,  that  in 
the  Divine  nature  or  Being  there  are  three  essentials,  expressed  by  the  terms 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  without  which  the  Divine  Being  could  not  have 
existence.  And  this  is  the  real  truth.  Subsequently  the  word  hypostasis  was 
translated  into  the  Latin  persona,  which,  at  that  time  signified  sl  mask,  an 
appearance,  or  an  assumed  character  ;  whence  the  origin  of  dramatis  person<E, 
now  in  use  in  dramatic  writings.  But  when,  at  a  later  period,  the  word  per^ 
sona   came  to  be    applied    to  the   real  individual  —  man   or  woman  —  and 


198 


THE    TRINITY, 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


199 


Having  thus  briefly  considered  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  as 
previously  held  and  taught  in  the  Church,  I  proceed  next  to  un- 
fold and  illustrate  the  New  doctrine  on  this  subject,  as  revealed  in 
the  writings  of  Swedenborg.  The  reader  can  then  judge  for  him- 
self,  which  of  the  doctrines  accords  best  with  reason  and  Scripture, 
and  which  is  manifestly  contrary  to  both. 

We  know  that  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  are  mentioned  in 
the  New  Testament  in  such  intimate  connection  as  evidently  to 
indicate  a  most  intimate  relation  of  the  three.     The  apostles,  as 
we  learn  from  Matthew's  gospel,  were  sent  forth  to  teach  and  to 
baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and   of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.     (  xxviii.  19.)     The   mention  of  these  three  in  this 
connection,  would  seem  to  imply  a  relation   between  them  much 
more  intimate  than  is  consistent  with  the  Unitarian  idea,  that  there 
is  an  infinite  distance  between  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  or  that  one 
is  Divine  and  the  other  human  —  one  the    Creator,  and  the  other 
the  creature  —  one   Life  itself,  the  other  only  a  recipient  of  life. 
Besides,  even  Unitarians  admit  that  the  Holy  Spirit  here  mentioned, 
means  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah  —  the  divine  influence,  or  operative 
energy,  which  proceeds  from  God  the  Father.     From  this  also  it 
would  appear  that  the  union  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  must 
be  of  a  far  higher  or  more   intimate  kind  than  accords  with  the 
Unitarian  notion.     But  it  is  no  where  said  in  the  Scripture  that 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  are  three  persons^  according  to  the 
common  Trinitarian  idea.     On  the  contrary  there  is  the  fullest 
evidence  for  believing  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  at  least,  is  not  a  person 
by  itself,  but  a  power  or  influence  proceeding  from  the  Lord. 

The  new  doctrine  on  this  subject,  as  believed  by  angels,  and  re- 
vealed from  heaven  throuorh  Swedenborg:,  is  this  : 

"  That  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  there  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  consist- 
ing of  the  all-begetting  Divinity  which  is  called  the  Father,  the  Humanity 
which  is  called  the  Son,  and  the  Proceeding  Divine  which  is  called 
the  Holy  Spirit  :  thus  there  is  one  God  in  the  Church."  —  A.  jR.  962. 


was  afterwards  translated  into  the  English  word /J^rsow,  we  see  thut  the  signi- 
fication of  the  original  word  hypostasis  was  entirely  lost.  Thus,  through  a 
gradual  change  in  the  conventional  use  and  meaning  of  a  term  —  a  change 
incident  to  the  mutability  of  human  language,  and  facilitated  in  no  small  degree 
by  successive  translations  —  we  discover  how  the  statement  of  a  doctrine, 
which,  according  to  the  meaning  of  the  terms  in  which  it  was  originalTy  ex- 
pressed,  may  have  been  true,  came  at  length  to  involve  and  teach  a  great  error 


1 

I 


-  4 
Ik 


According  to  this  new  doctrine,  then,  the  essential  principles 
which  constitute  the  Divine  Trinity,  are,  the  inmost  divine  essence, 
from  which  are  all  things,  and  which  is  therefore  called  the  Father  ; 
the  form  of  this  essence,  or  the  Divine  Human,  which  is  called 
the  Son  :  and  the  sphere  of  divine  life,  operation,  or  activity,  which 
continually  proceeds  from  the  Lord,  and  which  is  called  the  Holy 
Proceeding,  and  in  the  Word,  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  Trinity  is 
such  as  corresponds  to  the  soul,  body,  and  operative  energy  with 
man.  Or,  to  state  it  in  a  still  more  intelligible  form,  it  is  the  di- 
vine love,  the  divine  wisdom  or  truth  which  also  is  the  Word,  and 
the  divine  sphere  of  active  use,  which  is  love  and  wisdom  in  their 
proceeding  operation.  This  corresponds  also  to  the  will  and  un- 
derstanding with  man,  and  the  sphere  of  life  thence  proceeding. 

Now  we  observe  that  this  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  is  not  mysteri- 
ous or  incomprehensible,  but  perfectly  intelligible ;  for  it  presents 
us  not  with  a  Trinity  of  j^^rsoiis  in  unity,  of  which  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  second  person,  but  with  a  Trinity  of  essential  divine 
principles  united  in  the  one  person  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ;  so 
that  He  is  not  merely  the  second  person  in  the  Trinity  but  unites  in 
his  own  divine  person  all  of  the  Trinity.  "  For  in  Him,"  saith  the 
apostle,  '*  dwelleth  substantially  all  the  fulness  of  the  Divinity." 
(  Col.  ii.  9.)     Hence  He  is  the  only  God  of  heaven  and  earth. 

It  has  been  said  in  a  former  lecture,  that  the  sun  corresponds  to 
the  Lord,  and  is  the  grand  representative  image  of  Him  in  nature. 
If  this  be  so,  then  the  sun  ought  to  represent,  by  correspondence,  the 
divine  Trinity  in  the  Lord,  and  should  furnish  us  with  a  perfect 
illustration  of  our  doctrine.  And  such  is  really  the  case.  The 
heat  of  the  sun  represents  by  correspondence,  the  principle  of  di- 
vine love  or  goodness  in  the  Lord  ;  the  light  represents  the  princi- 
ple of  divine  wisdom  or  truth  ;  and  the  proceeding  sphere  of  the  solar 
influence,  or  the  rays  of  heat  and  light  which  constantly  emanate 
from  the  sun  and  extend  their  active  energy  throughout  the  solar 
system,  represents  the  divine  Proceeding  of  the  Lord,  or  the 
Holy  Spirit.  Moreover,  we  observe  that  the  union  of  these 
three  —  heat,  light,  and  their  proceeding  influence  —  is  necessary 
to  the  very  existence  of  the  sun  ;  «nd  each  forms  an  essential 
element  in  the  idea  which  that  term  conveys :  and  were  either 
of  them  to  be  abstracted  or  taken  away,  that  luminous  body  as  a 
sun  would  be  destroyed.  The  same  is  true  in  respect  to  the  Lord. 
Neither  element  of  the  divine  Trinity  can,  even  in  thought,  be  ab- 
stracted from  the  other  two,  without  destroying,  in  the  mind  of 


I 


200 


THE    TRINITY, 


him  who  does  It,  the  true  idea  of  a  God  ;  for  the  divine  love  the 
d.v  me  wisdom,  and  tl^e  divine  proceeding  sphere  of  operation,  are 
each  ahke  necessary  to  the  very  existence  of  the  divine  Bein^r  * 

Here,  (hen,  is  the  true  hypostatic  union,  spoken  of  by  the°early 
Christiaii  Fathers  -  a  union  of  three  essential  elements,  without 
which  God  could  have  no  substantial  existence.  And  this  is  the 
reason  why  we  have  called  the  Trinity,  as  taught  in  the  writings 
of  the  New  Church,  a  union  of  three  essentials. 

But  although  heat,  light,  and  their  proceeding  operation,  are  each 
alike  essential  to  the  true  idea  of  the  sun,  and  are  so  united  as  to 
form  a  distinct  one  in  the  great  orb  of  day,  nevertheless  we  do  not 
always  speak  of  that  body  in  reference  to  all  these  essential  ele- 
ments.    We  speak  of  it  sometimes  in  respect  to  the  heat  alone,  as 
when  we  say  the  sun  scorches,  burns,  or  warms  us ;  sometimes  in 
respect  to  its  light  alone,  as  when  we  say  the  sun  enlightens,  or 
enables  us  to  see  objects ;  and  sometimes  in  re.spect  to  both  the 
heat  and  light,  as  when  it  is  said  that  the  sun  clothes  the  earth 
mth  verdure,  causes  the  plants  to  vegetate,  the  fruits  to  ripen  &c 
And  the  same  is  true  in  respect  to  the  Lord,  who  is  the  sun  of  the 
spiritual  world.     He  is  sometimes  spoken  of  in  the  Word  in  refer- 
ence to  his  Divme  Love,  sometimes  in  reference  to  his  Divine  Wis- 
dom, sometimes  in  reference  to  both  ;  and  sometimes  also  in  refer- 
ence to   his  omnipotence,   omnipresence,   redeeming  and   savin-r 
power,  and  other  divine  attributes.     And  this  is  tire  reason  2 
diflferent  names  are  applied  to  the  Divine  Being  in  the  Word  •  for 
every  name  which  is  there  used  has  an  inteinarsense,  and  deno  es 
some  specihc  spiritual  quality.     Consequently  different  names  are 
apphed  to  the  Lord  according  as  He  is  spoken  of  with  referl  e   o 
his  different  attributes,  and  operations,  and  relations  to  men,  and 

Wvin    r        T""'\  *"  *'  '''""^  ''""''y-     Yet  in  His  own 
Divine  Person,  He  is  always  and  unchangeably  the  same 

Ihese  remarks  will  enable  us  to  understand,  not  only  why  .o 


•Itisalsotaught  inthedoctrmesoftheNewChuiTh   ih».  fi,    i     j-     , 
Sun  of  the  spiritual  world.     ..Although  in  helS,"  s  ^   sttuboT'  "  1 1! 
sun  of  the  world  does  not  appear,  nor  any  thing  which  is  fro™  t  It "t   .^i, 
there  isasnn  there  ;  there  is  light  and  there  is  heat,  and  there  are   all   thi 
that  are   in  the  world,  and   innumerable  more,  but  not  f  om  „   L  ^ 

for  the  things  which  are  in  heaven  are  spiritua'l,  bl.t      „s^^:,.  e  't;;;^  1"  ^ 
world  are  natural.     The  sun  of  heaven  is  the  Lord  •  the  lil    ,t  J.l 
truth,  and  the  heat  there  is  divine  good,  which  proceed  from  the  1^""" 
From  that  origin  are  all  things  that'appe'ar  in  theZvIni^Tw.  I^H.^  ""• 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


201 


li 


many  diflferent  names  are  applied  to  God  in  the  Old  Testament 
but  also  why  He  is  called  in  the  New  Testament,  Messiah,  Savior! 
Redeemer,  Son  of  Man,  Jesus  Christ,  <fec.  These  and  other  names 
there  applied  to  Him,  are  significant  of  the  different  relations  to 
the  Church,  and  the  different  modes  of  operation,  of  the  same 
Divine  Person,  in  the  work  of  redeeming  and  saving  mankind  ;  the 
precise  meaning  of  which  names  cannot  be  understood,  without 
some  knowledge  of  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word. 

"  That  Christians  have  acknowledged  three  Divine  Persons,"  says 
Swedenborg,  "  and  thus,  as  it  were,  three  Gods,  was  because  there  is 
a  trine,  [or  three  constituents],  in  the  Lord,  and  one  is  called  the  Father, 
another  the  Son,  and  the  third  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  this  trine  is  dis- 
tinctly named  in  the  Word,  as  the  soul  and  body,  and  what  proceeds 
from   them,  are   also  distinctly  named,  which  nevertheless  are  one. 
The  Word,  in  the  sense  of  the  letter,  also,  is  such  that  it  distinguishes 
things  which  are  one,  as  if  they  were  not  one.     Thence  it  is,  that 
Jehovah,  who  is  the  Lord  from  eternity,  it  sometimes  calls  Jehovah, 
sometimes  Jehovah  of  hosts,  sometimes  God,  sometimes  Lord,  and  at 
the  same  time,  Creator,  Savior,  Redeemer,  and  Former,  yea,  Shaddai ; 
and  His  Human  which  He  assumed  in  the  world,  Jesus,  Christ,  Mes- 
siah, Son  of  God,  Son  of  Man,  and  in  the  Word  of  the  Old  Testament, 
God,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  the  Anointed  of  Jehovah,  King,  Prince,' 
Counsellor,  Angel,  David.     Now,  because  the  Word  is  such  in  the 
sense  of  the  letter,  that  it  names  several,  which  nevertheless  are  one 
therefore  Christians,  who  in  the  beginning  were  simple,  and  understood 
everything  according  to  the  sense  of  the  letter,  distinguished  the 
Divinity  into  three  persons,  which  also,  on  account  of  their  simplicity, 
was  permitted  ;  but  yet  so,  that  they  also  believed  concernino-  the 
Son,  that  He  was  Infinite,  Uncreated,  Almighty,  God,  and  Lord?  alto- 
gether equal  to  the  Father ;  and  moreover,  that  they  believed  that 
they  are  not  two  or  three,  but  one  in  essence,  majesty,  and  glory,  thus 
in  divinity.    Those  who  simply  believe  thus,  according  to  the  doctrine, 
and  do  not  confirm   themselves  in  three  Gods,  but  of  the  three  make 
one,  after  death  are  informed  by  the  Lord  through  the  ano-els,  that  He 
IS  that  One  and  that  Trine  ;  which  also  is  received  by  all  who  come 
into  heaven  ;  for  no  one  can  be  admitted  into  heaven  who  thinks  of 
three  Gods,  howsoever  with  his  mouth  he  says  one."— Z).  L.  55. 

One  other  remark,  by  way  of  illustration,  concerning  the  most 
striking  representative  image  of  the  Lord— the  natural  sun.  We 
know  It  IS  common  for  people  to  say  that,  wherever  the  sun  shines 
or  his  influence  is  felt,  there  the  sun  is.  And  this  is  strictly  and 
philosophically  correct ;  for  the  proceeding  rays  of  light  and  heat 
are  the  sun,  and  can  by  no  means  be  cut  off  or  separated  from 


202 


THE    TRINITY, 


their  source.  So,  also,  it  is  in  reference  to  the  Lord's  Holy  Pro- 
ceeding, to  which  the  proceeding  rays  of  the  sun  correspond,  that 
He  IS  said  to  be  m  angels  and  in  men,  and  also  to  be  everywhere 
For  smce  everything  in  the  universe  exists  and  subsists  by  means 
of  an  mflux  from  the  Lord,  therefore  there  can  be  nothing  where 
the  Lord's  Proceeding  Divine  is  not.  ° 

We  find,  also,  in  every  man  a  perfect  illustration  of  this  new 
doctnne  o    the  Trinity.     And  such  ought  to  be  the  case,  if,  as  thi 
&rpture  declares,  man  was  created  in  the  image  and  likeness  of 
Orod.     This   nnity  m  man  is  the  soul,  the  body,  and  the  sphere  of 
activity  which  proceeds  from  their  union.     Or,  if  we  consifer  man 
merely  a^  a  spiritual  being,  there  is  the  will,  which  corresponds  to 
and  IS   the  receptacle  of,  the  Divine  Love ;   the  understandin..' 
which  corresponds  to,  and  is  the  receptacle  of  the  Divine  Wisdom 
and  the  sphere  of  activity  or  life  which  proceeds  from  their  union' 
and  which  corresponds  to  the  sphere  of  the  Divine  Activity,  or  the 
Holy  Proceedmg  from  the  Lord.     And  when  the  will  of  man  is 
formed  into  an  agreement  wit],  the  Divine  Love,  and  his  under- 
standing into  an  agreement  with  the  Divine  Wisdom,  then  the 
sphere  of  his  Ufe  will  be  in  agreement  with  the  Divine  Proceeding- 
for  It  will  be  a  holy  sphere  of  love  and  truth,  and  the  man  is  th^n 
a  true  image  and  likeness  of  God.     He  is  then  principled  in  good 
.n  truth,  and  in  a  life  according  to  them ;  thus  in  charity,  faith' 
and  good  works  ;  for  all  the  elements  of  the  Divine  Trinky  flo^ 
mto  his  mind  m  an  orderly  manner,  and  are  received  by  liim  as 

IZ  i:  1  *^'^  ''"'y  ''''''  '"^  '^'  ^°'^-     T^'^^  ^'  '^  i'l  the  Lord, 
and  the  Lord  is  m  him.  ' 

This  trinity  exists  even  in  an  unregenerate  man.  But  since 
such  an  one  has  the  will  of  what  is  evil,  and  the  understanding,  of 
what  IS  false  and  a  sphere  of  life  thence  proceeding  of  a  corres- 
ponding quahty,  therefore  there  is  in  him,  not  a  true  but  an  in- 
verted image  of  the  Divine  Trinity. 

.nTiu^  '^\^l^  '"  ^''  ^"^^  Proceeding  is  everywhere,  creating 
and  filing  all  things  with  the  elements  of  his  own  life,  then  no! 
man  alone,  but  each  and  every  created  object  in  the  universe 
should  contam  something  of  the  three  essential  elements  in  Him' 
and  should  therefore  be,  in  a  certain  sense,  an  image  of  the  Divi^ 
Trinity.     And  such  we  find  to  be  the  case.     Because  the  three 
essential  elements  in  the  Lord  are  indissolubly  united,  like  will' 
understanding  and  their  operative  energy  with  man,  and  because 
everything  subsists  by  an  influx  of  principles  from  the  Divine 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


203 


therefore  there  is,  and  must  be,  in  everything  a  certain  image  of  the 
Divine  Trinity.  Take,  for  example,  the  seed  of  any  tree.  There 
is  in  the  seed  an  intention  or  affection  of  producing  fruit  as  an  end, 
united  with  the  wisdom  or  the  understanding  of  the  means  neces- 
sary to  that  end.  Or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  the  seed  is  a 
natural  form,  so  organized  as  to  receive  from  the  Lord  the  love  of 
producing  fruit,  and  also  the  wisdom  to  enable  it  to  form  a  tree 
with  its  peculiar  organic  structure,  roots,  bark,  leaves,  &c.,  as  an 
appropriate  means  to  this  contemplated  end.  And  by  virtue  of 
this  organized  form  of  the  seed,  there  is  a  living  endeavor  of  the 
love  and  wisdom  which  it  receives,  to  produce,  first  a  tree,  and  bv 
means  of  the  tree,  fruit ;  and  when  placed  in  circumstances  favor- 
able to  the  ultimation  of  this  endeavor,  it  proceeds  immediately  to 
do  so.  This  hving  endeavor  in  a  seed  to  produce  fruit,  is  no  other 
than  the  Divine  Activity  or  Holy  Proceeding.  And  thus  the  seed, 
we  perceive,  is  a  receptacle  of  love,  wisdom,  and  activity  from  the 
Lord.     Hence  it  is  a  certain  image  of  the  Divine  Trinity. 

Similar  remarks  are  applicable  to  each  and  all  things  in  the  uni- 
verse ;  —  to  things  great  and  small  —  things  singular  and  things 
universal.  For  in  all  created  things,  from  the  great  sun  thtt 
warms  and  enlightens  us,  down  to  the  smallest  atom  that  quivers 
m  his  beams,  there  is  a  conjunction  of  love,  wisdom,  and  use,  which 
proceeds  from  the  union  of  Divine  Love,  Divine  Wisdom,  and 
Divine  Operation  in  the  Lord.  Hence  in  each  created  object  there 
IS  a  certain  image  of  the  Divine  Trinity,  because  from  the  Divine 
of  the  Lord  all  things  subsist. 

Having  thus  briefly  explained  and  illustrated  the  doctrine  of  the 
Tnnity  in  Unity,  as  taught  in  the  revelations  made  for  the  New 
Church,  I  next  proceed  to  test  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  by  the 
only  infallible  witness  —  the  Word  of  God. 

And  I  remark  in  the  first  place,  that  no  doctrine  is  or  can  be 
more  clearly  taught  in  the  Bible  than  is  the  doctrine  of  the  strict 
personal  unity  of  God.  -  The  first  of  all  the  commandments  is. 
Hear,  0  Israel ;  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord."  (Mark  xii.  29.) 
''I  am  Jehovah,  and  [  there  is  ]  none  else  ;  [there  is]  no  God 
besides  me.-  (Is.  xlv.  5.)  If,  therefore,  the  new  doctrine  con- 
cermng  the  Divine  Trinity  be  the  true  one,  and  if  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  really  a  divine  person,  as  the  writings  of  the  New  Church 
also  teach,  then  He  is  not  the  second  but  the  onl^  divine  person 
uniting  in  Himself  all  the  elements  of  the  Divine  Trinity.  Let 
us  see,  then,   how  far  thn  Scripture  supports  and  confirms  this 


204 


THE   TRINITY, 


doctrine  of  the  New  Church,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  really  a  divine 
person. 

It  has  sometimes  been  urged  against  the  personal  identity  of 
Jesus  and  Jehovah,  and  in  tavor  of  a  separate  personality  of  the 
Father  and  the  Son,  that,  where  they  are  mentioned  together  in  the 
Word,  they  are  usually  connected  by  the  particle  «W,  as  ihe 
Father  a»rf  he  Son,  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  God  and  the  Lamb 
&c  This,  It  IS  argued,  would  not  have  been  the  case,  had  bo.h 
words  been  used  to  designate  one  and  the  same  Being.  It  is  main- 
tamed  that  such  is  the  nature  of  this  connecting  particle,  that  it 

referred   to  distmct  and  separate  persons.      This  argument   has 
sometimes  been  resorted  to  by  Unitarians,  to  prove  the  senarate 
personality  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Father,  and  hen      t  e'me 
c..aturely  humamty  of  the  Savior.     But  to  show  that  this  Tr  " 
^sm  upon  he  nature  and  use  of  the  particle  and,  is  not  just,  and 
therefore,  that  the  argument  based  upon  it  is  without  founda  ion  ii 

Jehovih  oIh  T  ,''"'''''  '^"'  King  of  Israel,  W /.' Redeemer 
Jehovah  o  Hosts  ;  I  am  the  first,  and  I  am  the  last ;  and  besides 
me  there  .s]  no  God."  (xliv.  6.)  Who  does  not  porceivl  ha 
^Jehovah  the  King  of  Israel  "  evidently  means  the'sam  Divine 
Person  as  "  h.s  Redeemer  Jehovah  of  Hosts?"  And  yet  ^ot 
only  does  the  particle  and  occur  between  them,  but  the  posi^e 
pronoun  /.,  also;  which  would  seem  to  affo;d  addi  ioSrproof 
that  two  persons  are  here  spoken  of,  if  the  contrary  were  not  so 
apparent  as  to  admit  of  no  dispute. 

Christ'. '°  °"  ^"^'"'■'  "'^'""'"'  ^°''^'  '"P'""'"*^  Divinity  of  Jesus 

"  The'lTord"  r  "  ,?t';,  "''"  '^'  ^''^''  ^^''-'  i«  treated  of. 
rhe  Lord  himself  shall  gne  you  a  sign  :  Behold  a  virgin  shal 

concent  and  bear  a  son,  and  shall  call  his  name  Immanud  " 
God  wuh  us.)  (vn.  14.)     And  in  the  first  chapter  of  Mltth  w 

spoken  of  the  Lord  by  the  prophet,  saying.  Behold  a  virojn  slnll 
be  w.th  ch,Id.  and  shall  bring  forth  a  son!  and  they  shall  cal    1 

(v.  ^J.;     i^rom  this  It  appears  that  Jesus  Christ  is  (ke  Lord  nf 
whom  the  prophet  spake,  and  that  He  is  Gon  with  us 
Again  :  speaking  of  the  Lord's  advent  it  is  said,  '^'Unto  us  a 

i 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT   OF   WORSHIP. 


206 


child  is  bom,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given  ;  and  the  government  shall 
be  upon  his  shoulder ;  and  his  name   shall  be  called  Wonderful, 
Counsellor,  God,  Hero,  the  Eternal  Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace! 
Of  the  increase  of  his  government  and  peace  [there  shall  be]  no 
end  ;  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to  estab- 
lish it  in  judgment  and   justice,  from  henceforth  even  forever/' 
(Is.  ix.  6.  7).     Now  if  we  believe  in  the  divine  inspiration  of  the 
Scripture  —  believe  that  it  is,  without  qualification,  what  it  pro- 
fesses to  be  — THE  Word  of  God  — we  must  believe  that  all  the 
proper  names  in  Scripture  are  appropriate  to  the  persons  to  whom 
they  were  given.     For  we  cannot  suppose  that  Divine  Wisdom 
would  give  an  arbitrary  name  to  any  one,  or  one  which  did  not 
perfectly  express  his  quahty.     This  would  evidently  be  contrary  to 
divme  order.    And  if  the  names  in  Scripture  are  all  appropriate  — 
if  they  denote  the  quahty  of  the  persons  to  whom  they  were  given, 
then  He,  whose  advent  was  foretold  in  the  prophecy  above  cited,' 
and  who  was  to  be  called  God,  Eternal  Father,  &c.,  must  pos- 
sess the  quality  or  attributes  of  the  Divine  Being  ;  that  is.  He 
must  he  God  —  the  Eternal  Father.  * 

Again  :  It  is  written  in  the  same  prophet  concerning  the  Lord's 
advent,  *at  shall  be  said  in  that  day,  Lo  this  is  our  God,  we  have 
waited  for  Him  that  He  may  save  us.  This  is  Jehovah  we 
have  waited  for  him,  let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  solva- 
tion.''    (xv.  9.) 

Again  :  -  Behold  the  days  come,  saith  Jehovah,  that  I  wHl  raise 
unto  David  a  righteous  branch,  who  shall  reign  a  King  and  prosper. 


*  It  will,  perhaps,  be  said  by  some,  that  the  fact  of  Jesus  Christ  being  called 
God,   Eternal  Father,    Immanuel,    &c.,  is   no  evidence   of   his  supreme 
Divin.ty  ;  because   other  persons  are  mentioned  in  Scripture,  whose  names 
signify  nearly  the  same  thing.     Thus  the  name  Joshua  means,  in  the  Hebrew 
language,  iU  Lord  the  Savior;  Shephatiah  means,  the  Lord  that  judges;  Ithiel 
means,  God  with  me ;  Lemuel  means,  God  with  them;  Eiisha  means,  God  that 
sa^es;  and  Elijah,  ^orf  the  Lord,  or  the  strong  Lord.     But  as  the  Israelitish 
church  to  which   these  persons  belonged  was  not  a  true,  but  only  the  repre- 
sentatvoe  of  a  true  Church,  so  these  persons  themselves  were  only  the  repre- 
serUaiives  of  what  their  names  signify.      Thus  Joshua,  according  to  S weden- 
borg,  represented  the  Lord  as  to  truth  combating  against  evils  and  falses,  and 

IZu'  ^''J^^"\^  ^'^^^^  represented  the  Lord  as  to  the  Word  which  is 
ft^om  Him,  and  is  s  rong  to  save.  But  who  can  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
merely  a  representative  personage,  like  the  other  individuals  here  mentioned  ? 
I  tis  p  ain  that  He  was  the  real  person  whom  these  others  represented  -  was 
really  Immanuel,  as  He  is  called. 


206 


THE    TRINITT, 


Md  shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth  ;  and  this  is 
the  name  by  which  He  shall  be  called,  Jehovah  our  righteous- 
ness."    (  Jer.  xxiii.  6.) 

These  and  other  like  passages  that  occur  in  the  prophetical  parts 
of  the  Old  Testament,  show  us  that  it  was  Jehovah  God.  whose 
advent  is  here  foretold. 

Again :  the   angel  that  announced  to  Joseph  in  a  dream,  the 
birth  of  the  Lord  into  this  world,  said,  "And  thou  shall  call  his 
name  Jesus  ;  for  He  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."     Mat- 
thew I.  21.)     Jesus  signifies  Savior.     And  hence  it  is  said  also  in 
i-uke,   "  For  unto  you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city  of  David   a 
Savwr,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord."     (ii.  11.)     Again,  it  is  written 
m  John  :  •'  For  we  have  heard  ourselves,  and  know  that  this  is 
mdeed  the  Christ,  the  Savior  of  the  world."     (  iv  42  )     And  in 
many  other  parts  of  the  New  Testament,  the  Lord  is  called  Savior 
(See  Phihp.  iii.  20;  2  Tim.  i.  10  ;  Titus  i.  3,  4  — ii.  13— iii  6     2 
Pet.  I.  1,  2,  and  other  places.)     He  is  also  spoken  of  as  our  Jie- 
deemer,  and  as  redeeming  us  through  his  blood  ;  as  in  Luke  xxiv 
21  ;  Rev.  v.  9  ;  Gal.  iii.  13,  and  other  places. 

Now  it  is  plain  from  many  passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  that 
the  names  Jehovah,  God,  Creator,  &c.,  denote  the  same  divine 
person  as  Redeemer  and  Savior  :  as  from  this  in  Isaiah  :  •'  Thus 
sauh  Jehovah  the  King  of  Israel,  and  his  Redeemer  Jehovah  of 
Hosts    I  am  the  First  and  I  am  the  Last,  and  beside  me  there  is 
no  God        And  again :  "  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God  the  Holy  One  of 
srael,  thy  Sanor^'     (Is.  .,iii.   3.)     '<A  just  God  and  a  Savior 
[there  is]  none  beside  me."     (  xlv.  21.)     "I  am  Jehovah  thy 
God  from  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  thou  shalt  know  no  God  but  me  • 
tor  there  IS  no  Savior  beside  me."     (  Hosea  xiii.  4.)     "  Thou   O 
Jehovah,  art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer,  thy  name  is  from  ever 
^sting."    (  Is.  Ixiii.  16.)    "  Their  Redeemer  is  strong,  Jehovah  of 
Hosts  IS  his  name."     (  Jer.  1.  34.) 

Other  passages  might  be  adduced,  wherein  it  is  affirmed  with 
equal  clearness,  that  Jehovah  God  is  the  only  Savior  and  Redeemer 
cZ^'^T  ?'•'"  "'"'''  "■'  repeatedly  applied  to  the  Lord  Jesus 

that  He  IS  the  same  divine  person  as  Jehovah  God,  and  consequently 
IS  the  only  proper  Object  of  religious  worship.  ^         ^ 

Vft^AZ'ti"]^  ^""'  ^^''''  "  f'-l'^-tly  spoken  of  in  the 
Word  as  the  Bridegroom  and  Husband  of  the  Church  Thus  in 
Matthew:  "And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  can  the  children  of  (ho  bridl 


I 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP.  207 

chamber  mourn  as  long  as  the  Bridegroom  is  with  them  ?  »     (  ix 
15.)     And  in  John,   "  He  that  hath  the  bride  is  the  Bridegroom." 
(in.  29.)     And  the  Apostle,  in  his  second  letter  to  the  Corinthian 
Church,  says  :  "  For  I  have  espoused  you  to  one  Husband,  that  I 
may  present  you  as  a  chaste  virgin  to  Christ."     (  xi.  2.)     Again 
in  the  Revelation  :  "  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honor  to 
Him ;  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  has  come,  and  his  wife  hath 
made  herself  ready."     (  xix,   7.)  —  (  See  also  Matt.  xxv.  1-7  • 
Rev.  XXI.  2-9.)  — And  in  Isaiah,  Jehovah  saith  to  his  Church 
through  the  mouth  of  his  prophet,  "Thy  Maker  is  thy  Husband- 
Jehovah  of  Hosts  is  his  name."     (  liv.  5.)     So  in  Jeremiah,  it  is 
written  concerning  "  the  house  of  Israel."  by  which  is  denoted  the 
Church.  "  They  brake  my  covenant,  although  I  was  an  Husband 
unto  them,  saith  Jehovah."     (  xxxi.  32.)     Whence  it  follows,  that 
Jesus  and  Jehovah  must  be  the  same  identical  person  ;  otherwise 
the  Church  must  have  two  Husbands. 

Again  it  is  written  in  Isaiah,  (  xl.  3.)  "  The  voice  of  him  that 
crieth  m  the  wilderness.  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  Jehovah,  make 
straight  m  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God."     And  in  Matthew 
(  III.  2.)  It  IS  said  of  John  the  baptist,  "  For  this  is  he  that  was 
spoken  of  by  the  prophet  Esaias,  saying.  The  voice  of  one  cryin<r 
in  the  wilderness.  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths 
straight."     Indeed  all  the  Evangelists  apply  this  prophecy  in  Isai- 
ah, to  John,  who  was  the  forerunner  of  Jesus.     (  See  Mark  i  3  • 
Luke  iii.  4  ;  JoBn  i.  23.)     One  of  these  two  conclusions,  therefore' 
IS  inevitable  ;  either  that  the  Evangelists  were  mistaken,  and  have 
misapplied  this  prophecy,  or  that  Jesus  is  the  same  divine  person 
as  Jehovah,  whose  way  John  came  to  prepare. 

Moreover  the  identity  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  to  person,  with  the  only 
true  and  living  God,  is  evident  from  many  passages  in  the  Evan- 
gelists: as,  "  He  that  seeth  me,  seeth  Him  that  sent  me."    (John  xii 
45.)     "  Jesus  saith,  I  am  the  Way,  and  the  Truth,  and  the  Life." 
(XIV.  6.)     "  If  ye  bad  known  me,  ye  'should   have   known  my 
Rather  also ;  and  from   henceforth  ye  know  him,  and  have  seen 
^m.       (  V.  7.)     "  Philip   saith   unto   Him,  Lord,  show  us   the 
Father  and  it  sufficeth  us.     Jesus  saith  unto  him.  Have  I  been  so 
long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not  known  me,  Philip  '   He 
that  hath  seen  me.  hath  seen  the  Father."     (  xiv  8   9  )     "  Then 
spake  Jesus  again  unto  them,  saying.  I  am  the  Light  of  the  worid." 
(VIII.  12.)     "  If  ye  had  known  me,  ye    should    have    known   my 
Father  also."    (,,.  19.)    "  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am."    (^.68.) 


208 


THE    TRINITY, 


m 


"  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am,  ye  shall  die  in  your  sins."  (  v.  24.) 
And  we  read  in  Exodus  (  iii.  14  )  that  God  said  unto  Moses,  **  Thus 
Shalt  thou  say  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  I  am  hath  sent  me  unto 
you." 

IS^'ow  imagine  a  finite  human  being  saying  all  this  :  *'/  am  the 
light  of  the  world."  *'  /  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life." 
*♦  /am  the  living  bread  that  came  down  from  heaven."  ''  If  any 
man  thirst,  let  him  come  to  me  and  drink."  What  could  be  more 
immodest,  or  more  offensive,  than  the  attitude  our  Savior  here 
assumes,  on  the  supposition  that  He  were  a  merely  human  beino-. 

Then  in  the  writings  of  the  apostles,  we  have  ample  testimony 
to  the  same  truth,  viz.,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  God  and  Savior. 
Paul  says,  that  *'in  Him  dwelleth  substantially  all  the  fullness  of 
the  divinity  [or  Godhead]."     (  Col.  ii.  9.  )  :    that,   **He  is  over 
all,  God  blessed  forever,"     (  Rom.  ix.  5  )  :  that  ''  Br  Him  were  all 
things  created,  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and 
invisible,  whether  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  pow- 
ers ;  all  things  were  created  by  Him  and  for  Him  ;  and  He  is  before 
all  things,  and  by  Him  all  things  consist."    (Col.  i.  16,  17.)   James 
calls  Him  "  the  Lord  of  glory,"  which  evidently  means  the  same 
as  the  King  of  glory  ;  and  it  is  written  in  Psalms   (  xxiv.  10.) 
''  Who  is  the  King  of  glory  ?     Jehovah  of  Hosts,  He  is  the  King 
OF  GLORY."     And  Jude  closes  his  epistle  with  these  words,  '*To 
the  ONLY  WISE  God  our  Savior,  be  glory  and  majesty,  dominion 
and  power,  both  now  and  ever.     Amen." 

Passing  by  much  testimony  of  a  similar  kind  in  the  writings  of 
the  apostles,  I  proceed  to  notice  a  few  passages  in  the  book  of  Rev- 
elation, which  is  the  crown  of  prophecy.  In  the  first  chapter  of 
this  book,  it  is  said  when  John  ''was  in  the  spirit  on  the  Lord's 
day,"  that  '*  he  heard  behind  him  a  great  voice,  as  of  a  trumpet, 
saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  First  and  the  Last." 
(v.  11):  and  turning  to  see  from  whom  the  voice  came,  he  saw 
*'one  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man."  (v.  13.)  And  when  John 
had  fallen  at  his  feet  as  dead,  this  same  person  lays  his  hand  upon 
him,  and  says,  ''  Fear  not ;  I  am  the  First  and  the  Last." 
(v.  17  )  ;  thus  leaving  no  doubt  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  the 
Son  of  Man,  was  the  Being  whose  voice  the  Revelator  heard  behind 
him. 

Again :  in  the  last  chapter  of  the  Revelation,  where  the  second 
coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  spoken  of.  He  says;  **  And  behold, 
I  come  quickly ;  and  my  reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every  man 


AND    TRUE   OBJECT   OF   WORSHIP. 


209 


I 


p 


according  as  his  work  shall  be.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the 
Beginning  and  the  End,  the  First  and  the  Last."  (v  12*  13  ) 
But  we  find  in  the  prophets  of  the  Old  Testament,  that*  Jehovah 
repeatedly  declares  Himself  to  be  the  First  and  the  Last 
(See  Is.xliv.  6;  xh.  4;  xlviii.  12.)  And  since  there  evidently 
cannot  be  two  Firsts  and  Lasts  in  the  sense  in  which  these  words 
are  here  used,  therefore  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  must  be  the  same, 
as  to  person y  with  Jehovah. 

But  there  are  other  passages  in  this  book,  which  render  the 
identity  of  Jesus  and  Jehovah,   as  to  person,  evident  beyond  a 
doubt.     It  is  said  (chap.  iv.  10.)  that  -  The  four  and  twenty  elders 
fall  down  before  Him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  worship  Him  that 
hveth  forever  and  ever,  and  cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne 
saying,  Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honor  and 
power :  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for  thy  pleasure  they 
are  and  were  created."     And   in  the  next  chapter  it  is  said  that 
"  the  four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  before  the  Lamb  -—and 
they  sung  a  new  song,  saying.   Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book 
and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  re- 
deemed us,"  <fec.     (v.  8,  9.)     After  this,  myriads  of  myriads  and 
thousands  of  thousands  of  angels  were  heard,  -  saying  with  a  loud 
voice,  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  receive  power,  and 
riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and  bless- 
ing.^'     (v.   12.)      The  Lamb  evidently  denotes  the  ' Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  we  observe  that  the  same  worship  is  here  offered  to 
Him,  that  is  paid  in  the  preceding  chapter  to  "  Him  that  liveth 
forever  and  ever."     Therefore  He  must  be  the  eternal,  true,  and 
living  God,  and  the  only  proper  object  of  religious  worship. 

We  thus  see  what  abundant  testimony  the  Divine  Word  bears 
to  the  truth  of  this  doctrine,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  su- 
preme and  only  God  of  heaven  and  earth.  For  the  same  titles  are 
applied  to  Him  as  to  Jehovah  God,  the  same  attributes  of  eternity 
and  self-existence  predicated  of  Him,  and  the  same  worship  offered 
Him  by  myriads  of  angels,  that  is  proper  to  be  given  to  God  alone. 

Let  us  now  see  how  the  New  Church  doctrine  concerning  the 
Trinity,  as  it  has  been  explained,  accords  with  the  teaching  of 
Scripture.  ,         ° 

It  has  been  said  that  the  divine  principle  in  the  Lord  which  is 

called  the  Father,  and  the  divine  which  is  called  the  Son,  and  the 

divme  which  is  called  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  united  in  one  Divine 
18 


210 


THE    TRINITT, 


Person  like  soul,  body,  and  their  proceeding  operation  with  man ; 
or  like  will,  understanding,  and  the  mental  activity  thence  proceed- 
ing ;  or  as  heat,  light,  and  their  continually  proceeding  emanations, 
are  united  in  one  body  called  the  sun. 

The  Greek  words  aytov  rtvsifxa  {hagion  pneumo ,)  which  are  some- 
times translated  Holy  Ghost,  properly  signify  a  holy  hreathivg  or  ex- 
halation,    llvsvfio.  (pneuma)  comes  from  a  Greek  root  which  sicrni- 
fies  to  breathe  or  exhale,  and  is  usually,  and  much  more  properly 
translated  sjnriL     Consequently  the  I/olg  Spirit  is  not  a  separate 
Divme  Person,  as  is  commonly  believed,  but  is  a  holy  principle  of 
hfe,  as  It  were  breathed  out,  or  proceeding  from  the  Lord.     And  this 
agrees  with  what  is  said  of  it  in  the  Word  :  for  in  John  (xx.  22.) 
it  is  written,  that,  after  the  Lord's  resurrection,  -  He  breathed  on 
his  disciples,  and  said  unto  them.  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit '' 
The  reason  why  He  breathed  upon  his  disciples,  is,  because  a.m- 
ration  (or  breathing  upon)  represented,  according  to  the  law  of  cor- 
respondence,  divine  tTzspiration,  or  an  influx  into  their  minds  of 
spiritual  principles  from  Himself. 

Again :  in  John  xiv.  26.  the  Comforter  or  Paraclete  is  called  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  and  in  a  preceding  verse  the  same  Paraclete  is  called 
^'the  Spirit  of  truth,  which  the  world  cannot  receive,''  but  which 
dwelleth  with  the  Lord's  disciples,  and  shall  be  in  them.     And  to 
make  it  still  more  evident  that  this  Holy  Spirit  is  not  a  distinct  jt^^r- 
S071,  but  a  divine  principle  or  influence  proceeding  from  the  Lord, 
and  illustrating  the  minds  of  those  who  are  his  true  disciples  it  is 
said,  (John  XV.  26.)  -But  when  the  Paraclete  is  come,  which  I 
will  send  unto  you  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  which 
proceedeth  from  the  Father,  he  shall  testify  of  me."     And'again  : 
''  When  he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  right- 
eousness, and  of  judgment  (xvi.  8.)  ;  will  guide  men  into  all  truth 

—  will  teach  them  all  things—will  bring  all  things  to  their  remem- 
brance, &c."  This  is  what  the  spirit  of  truth  eff'ects  whenever  it 
is  received  into  human  minds— when  it  realli/  comes  to  us. 

The  Holy  Spirit,  therefore,  denotes  a  principle  of  divine  life  pro- 
ceeding from  the  Lord's  Glonfied  Humanity  with  sufficient  energy 
to  reach,  aff"ect,  and  enlighten  the  minds  of  men  in  their  lowest 
natural  state.  This  holy  proceeding  sphere  of  life  from  the  Lord 
was  more  powerful,  and,  therefore,  more  efficacious  in  the  work  of 
regenerating  and  saving  man,  after  the  Lord  had  glorified  the  hu- 
man, than  it  was  before ;  as  appears  from  these  words  in  John 

-  But  this  He  spake  of  the  Spirit,  which  they  that  believe  on  Hini 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


211 


t  < 


should  receive  ;  for  the  Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet,  because  that  Jesvs 
was  not  yet  glorified:'  (vii.  39.) 

Accordingly  Swedenborg  says,  **that  in  the  angelic  heaven  He 
[the  Lord]  appears  as  a  Sun,  after  his  coming  into  the  worid,  with 
stronger  eff-ulgence  and  in  greater  splendor,  than  before  his' com- 
ing, "—(i).  Z.  H^.  n.  221.) 

Much  more  evidence  might  be  adduced  from  the  Word,  to  prove 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  not  a  separate  and  distinct  person,  but  is, 
what  the  writings  of  the  New  Church  declare,  a  holy  influence  or 
operation  proceeding  from  the  Lord's  Glorified  Humanity,  and  hence 
called  his  Holy  Proceeding.  But  it  is  unnecessary  to  multiply 
texts  in  proof  of  this. 

Finally ;  let  us  see  how  the  other  elements  of  the  Divine  Trinity, 
viz.  the  Divine  Love  and  the  Divine  Wisdom,  or  the  essential  Di- 
vme  and  the  Divine  Human,  which  answer  to  the  soul  and  body 
m  man,  will  assist  us  in  explaining  some  of  those  texts  in  which 
the  Father  and  the  Son  are  mentioned  together.     The  Father  as 
I  have   said,   denotes   the  essential  Divinity,  or,  specifically,  the 
pnnciple  of  Divine  Love  in  the  Lord  :  and  the  Son  denotes  the 
Divine  Humanity,  or,  specifically,  the  principle  of  Divine  Truth. 
The  Lord  when  upon  earth  was  the  manifested  form  of  Jehovah  in 
the  natural  worid  ;  and  the  only  form  in  which  He  could  exhibit 
himself  personally  to  men  in  their  natural  state.     As,  therefore,  the 
body  of  man  is  the  form  through  which  the  soul  is  made  manifest, 
so  the  Son,  which  is  the  divine  human  body  of  Jehovah,  is  the  form 
which  manifests  the  invisible  and  essential  Divinity— the  Father. 
Hence  it  is  written,   "  No  one  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ;  the  only 
begotten  Son  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  He  hath  brought 
Him  forth  to  view  (John  i.  18.)     As  no  one  can  know  the  quafity 
of  any  man's  soul,  except  from  the  revelations  that  are  made  of  it 
through  his  words  and  actions,  thus  through  the  medium  of  his 
body,  so  no  one  can  have  any  knowledge  of  the  Father  or  the  es- 
sential Divinity,  save  through  the  medium  of  the  Son,  or  the  Divine 
Humanity.      Hence  it  is  written,   again,   -  No  one  knoweth  the 
Father  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal 
Him."     (Matt.  xi.  27  ;  Luke  x.  22.)     As  the  soul  dwelleth  in  the 
body,  so  the  Divine  dwelleth  in  the  Human  of  the  Lord,  or  the 
Father  in  the  Son.     Hence  it  is  written  that  the  Son  is  not  alone 
(John  vni.  16;)  and  that  the  Father  dwelleth  z;2  Him  Txiv.   10.) 
As  the  soul  imparts  its  own  life  to  the  body,  so  the  Father  or  the 
essential  Divine,  which  is  life  itself,  imparts  life  itself  to  the  Son  or 


212 


THE   TRINITY, 


the  Divine  Human.     Hence  it  is  written,  "As  the  Father  hath  life 
in  himself,  so  hath  He  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself 
(v.  26.)     As  the  body  can  do  nothing  of  itself  without  the  life  and 
activity  of  the  indwelling  soul,  so  it  is  written  that  *'  the  Son  can 
do  nothing  of  himself  but  what  He  seeth  the  Father  do  ;  for  what 
things  soever  He  doeth,  these  also  doeth  the  Son  likewise."  (v.  19.) 
And  again,  "  the  Father  that  dwelleth  in  me,  He  doeth  the  works.'' 
(xiv.  10.)     As  the  body  proceeds  from  the  soul  and  forms  its  im- 
age, so  it  is  written  that  the  Son  **came  forth  from  the  Father," 
(xvi.  28,)  and  is  "the  express  image  (or  stamped  impression)  of 
his  person."     (Heb.  i.  3.)     As  the  body  is  actuated  by  the  soul, 
lives  from  and  depends  upon  it,  so  we  are  taught  that  the  Son 
doeth  continually  the  will  of  the  Father,  hves  from  and  depends 
upon  Him  (John  v.  19,  26.)     As  no  one  can  have  access  to  the 
soul  of  man  except  through  the  medium  of  his  body,  so  Jesus  saith 
"No  one  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me."     (John  xiv.  6.) 
And  as  the  soul  and  body  with  man  are  united  in  one  finite  human 
person,  so  the  Divine  and  the  Divine  Human,  or  the   Father  and 
the  Son,  are  united  in  one  infinite  Divine  Person,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  on  earth.     Hence  He 
saith,   "I  AND  THE  Father  are  one."     (x.  30.)     Therefore  He  is 
the  only  Divine  Person,  and  the  only  true  and  proper  Object  of  reli- 
gious worship.     Therefore  the  New  Church  worship  the  Father  in 
the  Son,  and  not  as  a  separate  Divine  Person ;  and  thus,  agreeably 
to  what  is  required  in  the  Word,  they  "  honor  the  Son  even  as  they 
honor  the  Father."  (John  v.  23.) 

Such  is  the  doctrine  revealed  for  the  New  Church  concemino- 
the  sacred  Trinity;  —  a  doctrine  which  is  alike  free  from  the  object 
tions  that  reason  urges  against  the  tri-personal  theory,  and  from 
the  contrariety  to  Scripture  which  is  manifest  in  the  Unitarian 
scheme;  —  a  doctrine  which  is  at  once  intelligible,  rational,  and 
Scriptural ;  and  which  presents  the  Lord  Christ  as  the  true,  living, 
and  only  God,  and  the  true  Object,  therefore,  of  religious  worship! 
Thus,  the  "Stone  w^hich  the  builders  rejected"  has,  indeed, 
become  "  the  head  of  the  comer."  And  the  New  Church,  in  pay- 
ing supreme  homage  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  worship  all  the 
adorable  Trinity,  for  they  worship  the  Father  in  the  Son  :  and  tht 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  divine  proceeding  sphere  or  operation  of  his  own 
life.  And  whoever  is  so  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  his  mjnd,  as  to 
have  his  will  brought  into  agreement  with  the  divine  love,  and  his 
understanding  brought  into  agreement  with  the  divine  wisdom,  and 


AND    TRUE    OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


21.H 


the  sphere  of  his  hfe  into  agreement  with  the   holy  proceeding 
sphere  of  good  and  truth  from  the  Lord,  is,  in  the  spiritual  sense'' 
baptized  mto  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.     His  will  is  then  cleansed  of  its  impure  loves,  his  un- 
derstanding of  its  false  persuasions,  and  his  works  are  therefore 
good.     He  is  a  true  image  of  the  Lord,  having  derivatively  in  him- 
self the  three  elements  of  the  holy  Trinity,-love,  wisdom,  and  use 
or  charity,  faith,  and  good  works  —  in  harmonious  and  blissful  union' 
From  this  it  may  be  seen  that  the  New  Church  doctrine   of  the 
Trinity,  like  all  the  other  doctrines  of  this  Church,  is  not  specula^ 
tive  merely,  but  is  of  the  highest  jt?rac^tW  importance.     It  is  emi- 
nently  the  doctrine  of  life.     This,  of  itself,  were  strong    evidence 
of  Its  truth.     And  how  widely  does  the  New  doctrine  diflfer  from 
the  Old,  m  this  respect.     Indeed  I  am  not  aware  that  any  one  has 
ever  attempted  to  show  the  importance  of  a  belief  in  the  tri-ner 
sonal  doctrine,  considered  in  a  practical  point  of  view.     I  am  not 
aware  that  those  who  profess  to  believe  it,  regard  it  as  a  doctrine 
of  life  ;  or  that  it  has  ever  been  shown  in  any  intelligible  and  ra- 
tional manner,  in  what  way  this  doctrine  is  calculated^'to  make  men 
better.     Besides,  it  would  be  absurd  to  speak  of  the  practical  im- 
portance of  a  doctrine,  which  is  acknowledged  to  be  unintelli^rible 
and  mysterious.     Only  such  truth  as  men  are  able  to  understand 
can  really  be  made  practical ;  for  no  other  can  be  applied  to  hfe' 
Hence  it  is  common  to  hear  it  said  of  the  Old  doctrine,  and  of  some 
others  near  akm  to  it,  that  they  must  be  helieved,  thouo-h  they  can- 
not be  understood  ;  and  that  this  belief  alone  saves   men      Thus 
the  doctrine  of  the  tri-personality  of  God,  is  intimately  connected  with 
that  of  justification  h^  faith  alone.  But  it  is  taught  in  the  writin/rs 
of    the  New  Church,  that  chanty,  faith,  and  good  works,  are  each 
alike  essential  to  salvation  ;  and  that  neither  of  these  is  genuine 
if  separated  from  the   other  two.      This  agrees  with  the  apos- 
tle's teaching  :  "Though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could  remove 
mountains,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing."    (  1  Cor.  xiii.  2  ) 
Again  the  apostle  James  saith :  "  Faith,  if  it  hath  not  works,  is 
dead,  being  alone;  for  as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is  dead'  so 
faith  without  works  is  dead  also."     (  ii.  17,  26.)     And  this  agrees 
with  the  oft-repeated  declaration  of  Swedenborg,   that  "  charity 
without  faith  is  nothing,  nor  is  faith  anything  without  charity,  nor 
are  charity  and  faith  anything  without  works."— ^.  R,  n.  875. 

Since,  therefore,  charity,  faith,  and  good  works,  are  neither  of 
them  any  thing  if  separated  from  the  other  two,  so  neither  of 


214 


THE    TRINITY, 


them  alone  hath  any  power  to  justify  or  save.  The  conjunction  of 
these  three  with  man,  is  what  saves  him,  and  makes  a  Church  to 
be  a  true  Church.  And  the  reason  and  necessity  of  this  appears 
manifestly  from  the  New  Church  doctrine  concerning  the  divine 
Trinity.  It  is  because  the  three  divine  principles  in  the  Lord,  sig- 
nified by  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  are  each  of  them  essential 
elements  in  the  divine  Being  ;  and  have  not,  neither  can  they  have, 
a  separate  and  independent  existence,  any  more  than  heat,  light, 
and  their  proceeding  operation  with  the  natural  sun,  could  exist 
apart  from  each  other. 

Now  all  Christians  will  admit,  that  man  has  no  goodness  which 
is  properly  his  own.  **  None  is  good  but  One  —  God.''  (  Matt. 
xix.  17.)  Therefore  a  Church  is  not  a  Church,  and  angels  are  not 
ano-els,  by  virtue  of  any  thing  properly  their  own.  It  is  the  Lord 
in  men  which  makes  them  good,  and  constitutes  them  a  true  Church. 
And  it  is  the  Lord  in  the  angels  that  makes  them  angels.  ''  I  in 
them  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one." 
(  John  xvii.  23.)  "  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life."  (  x.  28.)  "As 
the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine, 
no  more  can  ye  except  ye  abide  in  me  ;  for  without  me,  ye  can  do 
nothing."     (  xv.  4,  5.) 

If,  therefore,  it  is  the  Lord  in  angels  and  in  men  that  constitutes 
the  all  of  Heaven  and  the  Church  with  them,  it  is  manifest  that  He 
must  dwell  in  them  as  to  all  the  elements  of  the  divine  Trinity,  since 
these  elements  can  have  no  real  existence  separate  from  each  other. 
And  this  Trinity,  when  received  by  man,  becomes  in  him  charity, 
faith,  and  works.  The  divine  love,  which  is  the  love  of  doing  good 
to  the  whole  human  family,  when  received  by  man,  becomes  in  him 
the  love  of  the  neighbor,  which  is  charity;  the  divine  wisdom,  which 
is  the  wisdom  according  to  which  divine  love  proceeds  and  operates, 
becomes  faith  in  man,  or  the  truth  by  which  his  love  of  doing  good 
to  the  neighbor  is  directed  in  its  operations  ;  and  the  divine  powe" 
or  holy  proceeding  of  the  Lord,  which  is  the  actual  operation  of 
the  divine  wisdom  and  love,  becomes  in  man  a  sphere  of  active 
usefulness,  proceeding  from  his  charity  and  faith— a  life  devoted  to 
pood  and  noble  deeds. 

Thus  we  see  of  how  gxtvii  practical  importance  is  the  New  Church 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  Those  who  receive  it  are  thereby  instructed, 
that  no  man  is  saved  by  faith  alone,  or  by  charity  alone,  or  by 
works  alone  ;  but  that  it  is  the  conjunction  of  these  three  which 
bringeth  salvation.     They  see  that  man  must  know  and  love  and  do 


AND    TRUE   OBJECT    OF    WORSHIP. 


215 


I 


t 

I 


the  commandments  ;  and  that  he  has  no  true  spiritual  life,  unless 
love,  wisdom,  and  use,  or  charity,  faith,  and  works,  dwell  too-ether 
as  one  ;  that  is,  unless  he  do  good,  from  love,  and  according  to  truth  ; 
for  otherwise  the   Lord,  who  is  love  itself,  wisdom  itself,  and  use 
itself,  abideth  not  in  him,  nor  he  in  the  Lord.     And  it  is  written, 
**If  a  man  abide  not  in  me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is 
withered."     (  John  xv.  6.)     And  again  :   '^f  a  man  love  me,  he 
will  keep  my  words,  and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will 
come   unto   him,  and  make  our   abode   with   him."     (  xiv.  23.) 
''  Therefore  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."     (  Rom.  xiii.  10.) 
"  But  without /ai//i  it  is  impossible  to  please  God."     (  Heb.  xi.  6*.) 
And  ''faith  without  works  is  dead."     (James  ii.  26.)     ''Whoso- 
ever therefore   heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,"  saith  the  Lord, 
*'  and  doeih  them,  I  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man,  who  built  his 
house  upon  a  rock  ;  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came, 
and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house  :  and  it  fell  not ;  for 
is  was  founded  upon  a  rock."     (  Matt.  vii.  24,  25.  ) 


LECTURE   IX. 


THE    GLORIFICATION   OF    THE    SON  OF  MAN,  INVOLVING    THE  TRUE  DOC- 
TRINE   OF    THE    ATONEMENT    AND    OF    REGENERATION. 


«  Now  is  the  Son  of  Man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in  him."— John  xiii.  31. 

In  the  preceding  lecture,  I  explained  the  doctrine  of  the  divine 
Trinity  as  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church,  and  showed 
its  perfect  agreement  with  both  reason  and  Scripture.  I  also  stated 
that,  according  to  these  writings,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
person  of  Jehovah  manifest  in  the  flesh  :  that  is,  that  the  Divine 
Being  became  clothed  with  a  natural  human  form,  and  thus  ex- 
hibited Himself  personally  in  this  natural  world,  for  the  purpose 
of  redeeming  and  saving  mankind  :  which  doctrine  was  also  shown 
to  be  in  accordance  with  the  teachings  of  Scripture. 

The  Word  of  God,  therefore,  rightly  understood,  agrees  entirely 
with  what  the  writings  of  the  New  Church  teach  upon  this  subject, 
viz  :  that  God  is  one  in  essence  and  in  person,  and  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  that  God  :  —  that  in  his  Divine  Person  dwells  all 
the  fullness  of  the  Godhead,  or  the  whole  of  the  divine  Trinity, 
which,  in  the  Scripture,  is  called  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Spirit. 
Consequently  He  is  the  only  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  there- 
fore the  only  proper  Object  of  religious  worship.  For  if,  (  as  most 
Christians  profess  to  believe,)  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  really  a 
divine  person,  and  there  be  any  other  divine  person  whom  it  is 
proper  to  worship,  then  certainly  there  must  be  more  than  one 
God  —  a  doctrine  alike  contrary  to  reason  and  Holy  Scripture. 

It  was  stated  in  the  last  lecture,  that  by  the  Father  is  denoted 
the  Lord  as  to  his  essential  divinity,  or  the  Divine  Love  ;  by  the 
Son,  the  Lord  as  to  his  Divine  Humanity,  or  the  Word,  which  is 
Divine  Truth :  and  by  the  FIoli/  Spirit,  the  Lord  as  to  his  divine 
power  or  operative  energy,  which  proceeds  from  the  union  of  the 
Divine  with  the  Human,  or  from  the  glorified  Person  of  the  Re- 
deemer and  Regenerator.  It  was  also  stated  in  that  lecture,  that 
this  trinity  in  Jesus  Christ  has  its  corresponding  image  and  like- 
ness in  man,  which  are  the  soul,  body,  and  resulting  sphere  of  life 
(216) 


AND    REGENERATION. 


217 


\ 


and  action  —  or  will,  understanding,  and  their  proceeding  opera- 
tion. While,  therefore,  there  is  an  infinite  difference  between  the 
Lord  and  man,  there  is  yet  such  a  complete  image  of  the  one 
in  the  other,  that  we  may  obtain  a  distinct  and  intelligible  idea  of 
the  Divine  Trinity  from  what  we  know  of  its  image  in  man.  The 
Lord  is  divine  ;  man  is  human.  The  Lord  is  self-existent,  uncreated, 
and  infinite ;  man  is  dependent,  created,  and  finite.  The  Lord  is 
the  giver  of  all  things  ;  man  is  the  receiver.  The  Lord  is  life 
itself ;  man  is  the  recipient  of  hfe.  The  Lord  hath  an  uncreated 
and  divine  soul,*  which  is  the  inmost  or  esse  of  his  life,  and  is 
called  the  Father  ;  man  hath  a  created  and  human  soul.  The 
Lord  hath  a  divine  body,  which  is  the  external  or  existere  of  his 
hfe,  and  is  called  the  Son  ;  Man  hath  a  human  body.  The  sphere 
of  life  proceeding  from  the  Lord  as  the  spiritual  Sun,  which  sphere 
is  called  the  Paraclete  or  Sjnrit  of  truth,  is  holy,  divine,  and  in- 
finite, since  nothing  can  proceed  from  Him  but  what  partakes  of 
his  own  nature,  and  is  Himself ;  the  sphere  of  man's  life  is  imper- 
fect, human,  and  finite. 

According  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  therefore,  God 
is  not  a  mere  abstraction,  but  a  real,  living,  divine,  infinite  Person, 
in  perfect  human  form  ;  in  whom  also  dwell,  and  from  whom  con- 
tinually proceed,  as  light  and  heat  dwell  in  and  proceed  from  the 
natural  sun,  all  truly  human  principles,  and  all  the  creating  and 
sustaining  power  in  the  universe.  There  are  many  persons  who 
do  not  think  of  God  as  existing  in  any  form,f   but  who  yet  profess 


*  See  Swedenborg's  treatise  concerning  the  Divine  Love  and  Divine  Wis- 
dom.— n.  14. 

t"One  argument  against  the  divinity  of  the  human  nature  of  Christ,  is, 
that  humanity  has  a  form  ;  and  that  it  is  absurd  to  consider  a  human  form  to 
be  divine,  because  form  implies  limit,  boundary,  termination;  whereas  God  is 
infinite  and  unbounded,  being  everywhere  equally  present.  To  this  we  reply, 
that  if  we  cannot  attribute  form  to  God, because  it  implies  limit;  so  neither 
can  we,  for  the  same  reason,  attribute  anything  to  Him,  or  frame  any  con- 
ception of  his  nature.  For  all  the  ideas  we  can  entertain  of  Him  neces- 
sarily imply  limit,  inasmuch  as  the  ideas  themselves  are  limited,  being  those 
of  a  limited,  finited  creature  ;  yet  we  do  not,  for  that  reason,  cease  to  con- 
sider certain  perfections  as  belonging  to  the  divine  nature.  None  but  an  in- 
finite being  can  have  infinite,  and  therefore  adequate,  ideas  of  himself ;  all 
finite  ideas,  however  exalted,  must  have  form,  limit,  and  boundary,  as  truly 
80  as  the  senses  or  sensations  of  the  body.  The  objection,  therefore,  derived 
from  the  idea  of  form,  is  as  applicable  to  all  intellectual  ideas,  however  ab- 
stracted, as  it  is  to  sensational  impressions.  Let  any  ideas  of  God  entertained 
by  a  creature,  however  intellectual,  however  abstracted,  nay,  however  angelic 
19 


218 


THE  ATONEMENT, 


AND  REGENERATION. 


^19 


to  believe  in  the  strict  personal Uy  of  the  Deity.  But  sucli  persons 
do  certainly  deceive  themselves  ;  for  a  real  belief  in  the  personal- 
ity of  God,  involves  an  idea  of  Him  as  existing  in  a  human  form  ; 
and  without  such  an  idea,  the  mind  does  not  rest  upon  nor  con- 
template an7/  person,  and  we  are  really  in  the  denial  of  the  strict 
personahty  of  God,  however  we  ms^j  profess  to  believe  in  it.  To 
regard  love,  truth,  beauty,  power,  (fee,  as  together  constituting 
God,  and  as  being  everywhere  diffused  throughout  the  universe,  yet 
nowhere  centering  in  a  living,  human  form,  from  which  they  con- 
tinually proceed,  is  to  make  the  divine  Being  a  dead  abstraction, 
or  some  interior  and  subtle  principle  of  nature  —  which  is  virtually 
to  deny  that  God  hath  any  personal  existence. 

No:  Because  we  are  taught  that  '*God  is  a  Spirit,"  it  by  no 
means  follows  that  He  does  not  exist  in  a  human  form,  any  more 
than  it  follows,  as  a  just  conclusion,  that  man  no  longer  exists  in  a 
human  form,  after  he  is  divested  of  his  material  body,  and  has 
become  an  inhabitant  of  the  spiritual  world.*  The  natural  sun  is 
self-luminous;  and  for  this  reason  it  is  essentially  different  from 
all  the  planets,  which  are  opaque,  and  which  receive  from  him 
their  light  and  heat.  But  because  the  sun  is  self-luminous,  it  does 
not  follow  that  it  is  not  a  body;  or,  because  his  light  and  heat  are 
diffused  everywhere  throughout  the  solar  system,  it  does  not  fol- 
low that  there  is  no  central  source  whence  they  emanate  ;  nor  that 
the  sun  is  not  a  body  even  more  substantial  than  any  earth  in  the 
universe.  And  as  we  cannot  conceive  of  light  and  heat,  diffused 
as  they  now  are,  and  in  active  operation,  without  a  luminous  body 
from  which  they  continually  proceed,  no  more  can  we  conceive  of 
truth  and  love,  diffused  as  living  principles,  without  their  proceed- 
ing from  a  living,  self-existent,  intelligent  and  loving  Person  as 
their  eternal  source. 


or  spiritural,  be  embodied  ;  and  that  embodiment  will  as  certainly  present  a 
definite  limitation,  as  any  object  presented  to  the  senses.  The  objection, 
therefore,  derived  from  the  idea  of  form,  if  allowed,  would  tend  to  deprive  us 
of  eutertainingr  any  idea  of  the  Deity  wjiatever  ;  for  the  only  other  idea  we 
could  entertain  is  that  which  is  formless  ;  hence  indefinite,  indeterminate, 
chaotic,  confused  ;  which  is  virtually  no  idea,  because  it  has  no  form  ;  and  (hat 
which  has  no  form,  has  no  quality;  and  that  which  has  neither  form  nor qualitv 
is  a  nonentity."— 67mo/</'s  End  of  the  Church,  p.  .39,3. 

*It  is  generally  the  case  that  those  who  are  not  willing  to  think  that  God  ex- 
ists in  the  human  form,  do  not  think  of  man  as  in  the  human  form  after  death  ; 
nor,  indeed,  as  having  any  form  until  he  shall  have  resumed  his  material  body' 
It  would  be  well  for  such  persons  to  consider  whether  they  do  not  in  heart 
deny  the  very  existence  of  God,  and  the  realUy  of  the  spiritual  world. 


II 


The  difference  between  the  sun  and  the  planets  in  respect  to  this 
attribute  of  self-illumination,  affords  a  good  illustration  of  the 
difference  between  God  and  man.  The  sun  of  itself  is  luminous, 
the  planets  are  opaque  ;  so  God  of  Himself  is  luminous,  and  men  are 
opaque.  The  sun  from  itself  continually  emits  light  and  heat,  and 
the  planets  receive  them  ;  so  God  from  Himself  emits  wisdom  and 
love,  and  men  receive  them.  Yet  the  sun  is  in  a  spherical  form,  as 
well  as  the  planets  ;  so  God  is  in  the  human  form,  as  well  as  man. 
Hence  also  it  may  be  seen  why  the  earth  corresponds  to  the 
Church,  or  to  any  man  who  is  a  Church  in  the  smallest  form,  since 
the  sun  corresponds  to  the  Lord.  \ 

Having  explained  the  New  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  I  come  next 
to  consider  the  doctrine,  as  taught  by  Swedenborg,  concerning  the 
glorification  of  the  Lord's  Humanity,  or  that  union  of  the  Divine 
with  the  Human  which  is  properly  signified  by  the  Atonement. 
But  before  proceeding  to  do  this,  it  may  be  expedient  briefly  to 
notice  the  Old  and  commonly  received  doctrine  of  the  Atonement. 
We  shall  then  be  able  to  judge  whether  the  Old  or  the  New  doc- 
trine upon  this  subject,    be  the  offspring  of  human  contrivance. 

It  was  stated  in  the  last  lecture,  that,  inasmuch  as  the  great 
central  doctrine  of  the  Christian  religion  —  the  doctrine  concerning 
the  Divine  Trinity,  which  has  been  corrupted  into  a  trinity  of  per- 
sons —  is  false,  therefore  all  the  other  leading  doctrines  of  the 
Christian  Church  must  likewise  be  false.  The  most  prominent, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  most  captivating  and  ruinous  falsity, 
which  is  the  legitimate  offspring  of  the  Old  doctrine  of  the  tri-per- 
sonality  of  God,  is  that  concerning  the  Atonement,  as  commonly 
held  and  taught  at  the  present  day.  This  doctrine,  I  am  aware, 
has  been  differently  understood  and  explained  in  the  Church  at 
different  times,  and  by  different  individuals  at  the  same  time. 
And,  notwithstanding  the  supreme  importance,  which  is  properly 
enouo-h  attached  to  a  right  understanding  of  it,  probably  very  few 


t  "  That  the  Lord  appears  as  a  sun  in  heaven,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  is  evi- 
dent from  His  transfiguration  before  Peter,  James  and  John,  that  His  face 
shone  as  the  sun.  (Matt,  xxvii.  2.)  The  Lord  was  seen  thus  by  those  disci- 
ples, when  they  were  withdrawn  from  the  body,  and  in  the  light  of  heaven. 
Hence  it  was  that  the  ancients,  with  whom  the  Church  was  representative, 
turned  the  face,  when  they  were  in  divine  worship,  to  the  sun  in  the  east  ; 
from  this  it  is,  that  they  gave  to  temples  an  aspect  towards  the  east." — (Heaven 
and  Hell^n.  119.) 


220 


THE    ATONEMENT, 


could  be  found  at  the  present  time  among  Trinitarians  of  the  Old 
Church,  who  would  explain  this  doctrine  precisely  alike.  However 
that  may  be,  we  can  easily  obtain  from  the  confessions  of  faith  and 
other  authorized  publications  of  that  Church,  a  statement  of  the 
doctrine  as  it  is  generally  received  and  taught.  We  iind  a  sum- 
mary statement  of  it  in  Buck's  Theological  Dictionary,  under  the 
article  Atonement,  drawn  from  eminent  Trinitarian  writers  upon 
this  subject,  and  which  may,  therefore,  be  considered  as  embody- 
ing the  generally  received  view. 

"  The  Atonement,"  say  these  writers,  "is  the  satisfying  divine  jus- 
tice by  Jesus  Christ  giving  himself  a  ransom  for  us,  undergoing  the 
penalty  due  to  our  sins,  and  thereby  releasing  us  from  that  punishment 
which  God  might  justly  inflict  upon  us.  All  mankind  having  broken 
the  law,  God  in  his  infinite  wisdom  did  not  think  fit  to  pardon  sinful 
man  without  some  compensation  for  his  broken  law.  For  if  the  o-reat 
Ruler  of  the  world  had  pardoned  the  sins  of  men  without  any  satis- 
faction, then  his  laws  might  have  seemed  not  worth  the  vindicating. 

"  God  had  a  mind  to  make  a  very  illustrious  display  both  of  his  jus- 
tice and  of  his  grace  among  mankind  ;  on  these  accounts  He  could  not 
pardon  sin  without  a  satisfaction, 

"  Because  God  intended  to  make  a  full  display  of  the  terrors  of  His 
justice,  and  His  divine  resentment  for  the  violation  of  His  law,  there- 
fore He  appointed  His  own  Son  to  satisfy  for  the  breach  of  it  by  be- 
coming a  proper  sacrifice  of  expiation  or  atonement.  The  Divine 
Being  having  received  such  ample  satisfaction  for  sin,  by  the  sutferinir 
of  His  own  Son,  can  honorably  forgive  His  creature  man  who  was  a 
transgressor  " 

But  if  any  one  desires  to  know  from  more  recent  authority  what 
this  doctrine  is,  as  held  and  taught  by  Christians  of  the  present 
day,  let  him  turn  to  the  "  Confession  of  Faith  "  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church  in  the  United  States,  pubhshed  in  1838.  He  will 
there  find  these  words  :  ''  Christ,  by  his  obedience  and  death,  did 
fully  discharge  the  debt  of  all  those  that  are  thus  justified,  and  did 
make  a  proper,  real,  and  full  satisfaction  to  his  Father's  justice  in 
their  behalf  He  was  given  by  the  Father  for  them,  and  His  obedi- 
ence and  satisfaction  accepted  in  their  stead."   (p.  55.) 

In  the  same  chapter  of  this  work  we  are  told  that  God  justifies 
sinners  "by  imputing  the  obedience  and  satisfaction  of  Christ  unto 
them  "  (§  1.);  and  that  '*  Faith  thus  receiving  and  resting  on  Christ 
and  his  righteousness,  is  the  alone  instrument  of  justification." 
(§  2.)     In  other  parts  of  the  same  Work  we  find  mention  made  ol 


AND    REGENERATION. 


221 


Chnst  havmg  borne  the  weight  of  God's  wrath,  satisfied  his  justice 

procured  his  favor,  purchased  reconciliation,  ^Q.     (Seep   44    161 
168.)  \        I"      >        > 

In  the  Catechism  (No.  2)  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
published  in  1839,  it  is  stated  (p.  14,)  that  -Christ,  by  means  of 
his  sufferings  and  death,  oflfered  a  full  satisfaction  and  atonement 
to  Divine  Justice,  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.''  And  immedi- 
ately after,  it  is  added  by  way  of  explanation,  that,  -because  He 
was  perfectly  righteous,  there  was  an  infinite  value  and  merit  in 
his  death,  which,  being  undergone  for  our  sakes  and  in  our  stead. 
Almighty  God  exercises  his  mercy  in  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  con- 
sistently with  his  justice  and  holiness.*' 

Such  is  the  commonly  received  doctrine  of  a  vicarious  atonement., 
as  given  in  the  very  language  of  its  advocates.     And  it  will  be 
found  substantially  the  same  as  here  stated,  in  the  Catechisms, 
Creeds,  Formularies  and  Confessions  of  Faith,  of  all  the  prevailing 
rehgious  sects,  who  believe  in  the  tri-personality  of  God.     Indeed, 
this  doctrine,  as  I  have  already  said,  is  a  legitimate  offspring  of  the 
tri-personal  theory.     And  according  to  the  language  in  whi'^ch  it  is 
set  forth  by  its  own  advocates,  it  represents  the  Father  or  first  per- 
son in  the  Trinity,  as  a  stern,  inflexible,  vindictive  God,  who  is  an- 
gry with  the  human  race  on  account  of  their  transgressions,  and 
will  by  no  means  forgive  them  their  sins,  without  a  full  equivalent 
or  satisfaction  for  his  violated  law.     And  it  represents  the  Son  or 
second  person  in  the  Trinity,  as  a  tender  and  compassionate  God, 
who  is  moved  with  pity  toward  the  human  race  ;  and  in  order  to 
satisfy  the  Father's  demands,  and  procure  his  favor,  or  purchase  for 
man  a  release  from  his  vengeance.  He  comes  into  the  world  of  his 
own  free  will,  and  pays  the  penalty  due  to  the  sins  of  all  mankind 
by  suffering  and  dying  upon  the  cross.     The  Father  accepts  the 
ransom,  is  reconciled  toward  the  human  race,  and  can  then  ''hon- 
orably forgive  his  creature  man ;"  or,  as  some  understand  it,  He 
then  imputes  to  mankind  the  merit  of  Christ's  sufferings  and  death, 
or  feels  towards  our  race  as  if  they  themselves  had'^ suffered  the 
merited  punishment.     It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Atonement  is 
commonly  called  by  Christian  writers  vicarious.     Christ,  they  say, 
suffered  as  our  vicar  or  substitute  —  suffered  in  our  stead —sind,  by 
his  own  death,  paid  the  penalty  which  the  Father  demanded  for  his 
violated  law.      In  this  way  He  satisfied  the  demands  of  Divine 
Justice,  and  purchased  a  pardon  for  man,  or  propitiated  the  Deity. 
It  is  as  if  a  child  should  violate  its  father's  precepts,  and  the  fath- 


22i 


THE    ATONEMENT. 


er,  howerer  soiiy  and  penitent  the  child  might  be,  should  refuse  to 
be  reconciled  to  him,  except  on  the  condition  that  one  of  his  other 
innocent  children,  or  some  innocent  person  like  himself,  would  first 
suffer  the  penalty  due  to  such  offense. 

Verily,  this  doctrine  needs  no  comment.  For  every  honest  man, 
who  is  not  willing  utterly  to  renounce  his  understanding  in  matters 
of  religion,  and  accept  a  blind  faith,  can  hardly  fail  to  perceive  that 
such  a  doctrine  mmt  be  false,  the  moment  he  hears  it  stated.  And 
those  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  this  conmionly  received 
view  of  the  Atonement,  must  have  done  so  by  first  trampling  on 
their  rational  faculty  ;  and,  therefore,  must  have  brought  their 
minds  into  such  a  state,  as  would  probably  disquahfy  them  for  see- 
ing the  genuine  truth  upon  the  subject,  however  clearly  it  might  be 
presented ;  and  would  lead  them  to  reject  the  most  conclusive  argu- 
ments in  support  of  any  other  than  their  own  view,  whether  drawn 
from  reason  or  from  Scripture.  In  reference  to  such  persons  it  is 
written  in  the  Word,  **Ephraim  is  joined  to  his  idols;  let  him 
alone." 

But,  irrational  as  is  the  prevailing  belief  concerning  the  Atone- 
ment, and  equally  imscriptural  as  it  must  be  seen  to  be  when  the 
truth  comes  to  be  well  understood,  there  is  yet,  perhaps,  not  a  sin- 
gle doctrine  which  is  more  universally  prevalent  throughout  Chris- 
tendom, and  none  to  which  the  larger  portion  of  professing  Chris- 
tians cling  with  a  more  inveterate  obstinacy.  And  is  not  this  fact 
alone  sufficient  to  indicate  the  wild  disorder  into  which  the  human 
mind  has  been  thrown  upon  religious  subjects,  and  the  utter  dark- 
ness with  respect  to  spiritual  things,  in  which  a  large  proportion  of 
the  Christian  Church  is  immersed  ? 

But  the  reason  why  this  doctrine  is  so  dearly  loved  and  so  obsti- 
nately clung  to,  finds  its  explanation  in  the  existing  state  or  qual- 
ity of  the  prevailing  Church.  For  it  is  of  all  others,  perhaps,  the 
most  acceptable  doctrine  to  the  natural  man,  since  it  promises  him 
the  pardon  of  his  sins  and  the  happiness  of  heaven  upon  such  easy 
terms.  It  assures  him  that  the^penalty  due  to  his  transgressions, 
has  been  paid  by  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ ;  and  that  he 
has  only  to  believe  this,  and  the  merit  of  Christ's  righteousness  will 
be  imputed  to  him.  The  doctrine  bears  upon  its  very  face  the 
marks  of  its  origin.  Its  every  feature  proves  that  it  originated  in 
the  gross  conceptions  of  the  natural  man.  The  natural  man  is  angry 
and  unrelenting  toward  those  who  offend  him  ;  therefore  he  imag- 
ines that  God  has  similar  feelings  toward  his  offending  children.   And 


AND    REGENERATION. 


223 


because  the  natural  man  is  unwilling  to  forgive  those  who  offend 
him,  except  on  condition  of  receiving  some  equivalent  —  a  full  sat- 
isfaction, —  so  he  conceives  that  **  God  could  not  forgive  his  errino- 
creature  man,"  without  receiving  an  equivalent. 

The  commonly  received  doctrine  of  the  Atonement,  therefore,  is 
in  perfect  agreement  with  the  conceptions  of  the  natural  man,  who 
thinks  God  to  be  altogether  such  an  one  as  himself.  No  wonder, 
therefore,  that  natural  men  should  be  so  loath  to  relinquish  their 
hold  upon  this  doctrine,  and  should  say,  as  is  often  said,  **if  you 

take  this  away  from  us,  you  take  away  all  our  religious  support 

all  of  Christianity  that  we  most  highly  prize." 

Thus  much  concerning  the  Old  doctrine  of  the  Atonement.  I 
will  now  endeavor  to  present  the  New  doctrine  on  this  subject,  or 
the  doctrine  concerning  the  glorification  of  the  Lord's  Humanity, 
which  involves  what  is  believed  to  be  the  true  doctrine  of  the  Atone- 
ment. And  here  I  would  premise,  that  it  is  not  easy  to  present  this 
subject  in  a  manner  to  be  readily  comprehended  by  the  natural  man. 
The  reason  is,  because  our  regeneration  is  an  image  of  the  Lord's 
glorification  ;  and  until  we  have  something  of  this  image  —  until  our 
natural  man  has  m  some  measure  been  brought  into  an  agreement  or 
oneness  with  our  spiritual  man,  and  we  have  thus  received  somethino- 
of  the  Atonement,  we  cannot  expect  to  understand  much  about  the 
glorification  of  the  Lord's  Human,  or  how  He  brought  it  at-one 
with  the  Divine. 

It  must  be  obvious  on  reflection,  that,  if  the  New  Church  doc- 
trine concerning  the  Divine  Trinity,  as  presented  in  the  last  lecture, 
be  the  true  doctrine,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  the  supreme 
and  only  God,  uniting  in  his  own  Divine  Person  all  the  elements 
of  the  Holy  Trinity,  then  the  commonly  received  doctrine  of  the 
Atonement  mast  he  false.     No  one,  therefore,  can  really  receive 
the  New  Church  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  and,  consistently  with 
such  reception,  retain  his  belief  in  the  Old  Church  doctrine  of  the 
x\tonement,  which  is  based  entirely  upon  the  idea  of  three  persons 
in  the  Godhead.     For  when  it  is  admitted  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
one  and  only  Divine   Person,  then  there  is  no  first  person  aside 
from  Him,  to  demand  satisfaction  for  his  violated  law  ;  none  whose 
wrath  is  to  be  appeased  by  the  sufferings  and  death  of  another,  or 
to  whom  the  penalty  due  to  man's  transgressions  is  to  be  paid. 
Thus  we  see  that  the  Old  doctrine  of  the  Atonement  does  by  no 
means  consist  with  the  New  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  nor  with  the 
supreme  divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


224 


THE  ATONEMENT, 


AND  REGENERATION. 


22/1 


According  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  man  was  origin- 
ally created  in  the  image  and  Ukeness  of  God.  His  understanding- 
was  created  a  form  receptive  of  the  Divine  Wisdom,  and  his  will  a 
form  receptive  of  the  Divine  Love  ;  and  on  account  of  the  union 
of  these  two  principles  in  the  human  mind,  there  proceeded  con- 
stantly from  man  a  sphere  of  beneficent  life  and  action,  corre- 
sponding to  the  Divine  Proceeding  from  the  Lord.  Man  did  not 
then  receive  truths  from  the  Lord  disjoined  from  their  correspond- 
ing affections  of  goodness  ;  but  his  will  was  in  perfect  agreement 
with  his  understanding ;  and  thus  he  was  conjoined  to  the  Lord, 
because  he  received  each  of  the  elements  of  the  Divine  Trinity,  or 
had  in  himself  the  conjunction  of  charity,  faith,  and  good  works. 
This  happy  state  of  man  is  described  in  the  Word  by  Adam's 
situation  in  the  garden  of  Eden.  But  he  did  not  continue  in  his 
primitive  state  of  innocence  ;  therefore  it  is  said  that  he  was  driven 
out  from  Eden  —  the  meaning  of  which  has  been  explained  in  a 
former  lecture.  By  virtue  of  the  liberty  with  which  he  was 
endowed,  man  could  turn  either  to  the  Lord  or  to  himself.  And 
by  degrees  he  began  to  think  of  his  wisdom  as  his  own,  and  to 
pride  himself  on  account  of  it,  and  thus  to  love  himself  more  than 
the  Lord  —  to  deem  himself  a  god.  In  this  manner  his  affections 
l)ecame  gradually  and  successively  turned  away  from  the  One  only 
Good,  and  fast^^ned  upon  himself.  His  will-principle,  from  being 
the  receptacle  of  the  Lord's  love,  became  defiled  with  the  evils  of 
self-love.  Love  to  the  Lord  and  the  neighbor  became  changed  in 
his  mind  into  the  love  of  self  and  the  world  ;  or  into  a  state  of 
imwillino'  acknowledcfment  of  any  other  God  than  himself,  and  of 
comparative  hatred  towards  the  neighbor.  There  still  remained 
some  light  of  truth  in  his  understanding  ;  but  it  was  not,  as  origin- 
ally, united  to  the  love  of  goodness  in  his  will,  for  he  no  longer 
loved  to  do  as  the  truth  required  ;  and  thus  his  will  and  his  under- 
standing became  separated.  And  the  more  man  indulged  his 
.pride  and  love  of  self,  the  more  did  his  mind  become  filled  with 
evils  and  falsities,  and  the  farther  did  he  remove  himself  from  his 
original,  happy  state  of  conjunction  with  the  Lord  :  until  the  wkole 
human  race,  or  the  Lord's  church  on  earth,  with  the  exception  of 
*'  a  very  small  remnant,'*  (Is.  i.  9.)  became  what  is  described  in 
these  words  of  the  prophet :  **Ah  sinful  nation,  a  people  laden 
with  iniquity,  a  seed  of  evil-doers,  children  that  are  corrupters  ! 
They  have  forsaken  the  Lord,  they  have  provoked  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel  unto  anger,  they  have  gone  away  backward      From  the 


:$ole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head  there  is  no  soundness  in  it ; 
but  wounds  and  bruises  and  putrefying  sores."     (Is.  i.  4,  6.) 

Yet  the  Lord  did  not  forsake  the  human  race  in  this  their 
wounded,  bruised,  and  putrefied  state ;  but  still  pursued  them  with 
his  saving  love,  even  into  that  pit  of  degradation  where  they  had 
fallen.  But  because  men  had  changed  the  divine  love  into  hatred 
in  their  own  minds,  therefore  the  Lord  appeared  to  them  as  if  He 
were  angry  ;  and,  agreeably  to  this  appearance,  it  is  often  so  said 
in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word.  This  appearance  was  corre- 
spondent with  man's  state.  But  '*  In  all  their  afl^ction  He  was 
afflicted,  and  the  angel  of  his  presence  saved  them :  in  his  love 
and  in  his  pity  He  redeemed  them."  (Is.  Ixv.  9.)  He  came  into 
this  natural  world  in  a  bodily  form  —  clothed  Himself  with  the 
natural  humanity  —  defiled,  borne  down,  and  oppressed  with  evils 
of  all  kinds  as  that  humanity  was  —  and  by  degrees  purified  it 
from  all  its  defilements,  and  filled  every  region  of  it  with  his  own 
Divinity.  Thus  He  glorified,  or  made  that  humanity  Divine.  He 
came  as  the  Word  —  as  Truth  Divine,  or  the  Son,  and,  by  a 
series  of  temptation  combats,  He  successively  united  that  Truth 
with  Love  Divine  or  the  Father,  in  the  assumed  humanity  ;  so  that 
He  might  thenceforward  be  able  to  unite  truth  in  the  understand- 
ing with  love  in  the  will,  in  the  minds  of  all  men  who  will  permit 
Him  to  do  so  ;  and  in  this  way,  gradually  lead  mankind  back  to 
their  original  happy  state  of  conjunction  with  Himself,  which  is 
heavenly  and  eternal  life.     (See  John  vi.  54,  56.) 

Therefore,  the  end  for  which  the  Lord  assumed  and  rrlorified  the 
Human,  was  to  bring  man  into  a  state  of  reunion  with  his  Maker  ; 
to  bring  his  will  at-one  with  the  Lord's  will,  and  his  understanding 
at-one  with  the  Lord's  understanding,  or  the  Divine  Truth,  and 
thus  restore  to  human  minds  their  original  but  lost  harmony. 
This  ot-one-ment  of  man  and  God,  or  of  the  human  and  the  Divine, 
was  perfectly  effected  in  the  Lord's  Glorified  Human  ;  and  the 
image  of  it  exists  in  every  one's  mind,  just  in  the  degree  that  he 
receives  the  principles  of  the  Divine  Humanity,  or  the  principles  of 
good  and  truth  in  their  divine  union. 

Before  proceeding  further  with  our  remarks,  let  us  try  to  ascer- 
tain the  true  Scripture  meaning  of  the  word  atonement.  We  find 
this  word  used  but  once  in  the  New  Testament  (Rom.  v.  H)  ;  and 
those  who  will  take  the  trouble  to  consult  Calmet's  Dictionary  on 
the  subject,  will  find  it  was  originally  syllabled  and  pronounced  at- 
one-ment ;  and  signified  being  at  one,  or  being  brought  at  one,  i.  e.. 


226 


THE    ATONEMENT 


into  agreement.  And  this  we  find  to  be  the  true  nieanin<r  of  il,e 
original  Greek  word  xato.xy^ii  (catallage,)  which,  in  its  p°in,iiive 
sense,  signifies  a  change;  and  in  its  derivative  sense,  a  reconcilia- 
tion a  pacification.  (  See  Schleusner's  Greek  and  Latin  Lexicon  ) 
Indeed,  the  same  word  is  always  translated  «co,»ct7i«<w»  instead  of 
aionement.  wherever  it  occurs  in  the  New  Testament,  except  in  liie 
single  instance  above  referred  to:  and  it  is  found  either  in  its 
primitive  and  simple,  or  in  its  derivitive  and  compound  form,  not 
less  than  thirteen  times ;  and  it  always  means  the  redoration  of 
/>«««  «nrf  t,„w«  between  minds  that  have  been  at  variance  —  an 
at-orie-me,U.     Such  is  the  true  signification  of  the  word  atonement. 

And  this  agrees  perfectly  with  what  we  are  taught  in  the  wri- 
tmgs  of  the  ^ew  Church  upon  this  subject.     According  to  these 
writings    the  Atonement  means  the  bringing  at  one  of  the  Divinity 
and  the  Humanity,  which  was  effected  when  the  Lord  came  into 
the  world  and  glorified  the  Human.     And  the  design  of  this  Atone- 
ment was,  to  effect  a  reconciliation  between  God  and  man  ;  to  brin^r 
the  human  mind,  which  had   become  alienated  from  God,  into  an 
agreement,  or  at-one  again,  with  the  Divine  Mind.     But  inasmuch 
as  the  separation  between  God  and  man,  or  between  the  Divine 
and  the  human  mind,  had  been   effected,  not  through  any  change 
in  God  (  for  He  is  unchangeable  ),  but  through  a  change  that  had 
taken  place  m  man  since  his  creation,  therefore,  it  was  man  who 
needed  to  be  brought  back,  or  reconciled  to  God,  and  not  God  who 
needed  to  be  reconciled  to  man.     Accordingly  the  doctrines  of  the 
New  Church  teach,  that  the  object  of  the  Atonement  was,  not  to 
appease    God  s   wrath,  or  purchase  his   favor,  or  produce   any 
change  in  the  Divine  Mind,  but  to  effect  such  a  change  in  human 
mmds  as  to  render  them  receptive   of  the  divine  principles  which 
proceed  from  the  Lord,  and  thus  to  reconcile  or  bring  man  at-one 
again  with  God. 

And  this  we  shall  find  to  be  in  perfect  agreement  with  what  the 
apostles  teach  in  relation  to  this  subject.  In  Paul's  second  letter 
to  the  Corinthian  Church,  we  reaS  :  "  And  all  things  are  of  God 
who  hath  reconciled  m  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  hath  given 
to  us  the  mmistry  of  reconciliation  ;  to  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself  [  not  himself  unto  the  world  ]  _ 
and  hath  committed  unto  us  the  Word  of  reconciliation."  (  2  Cor. 
V.  18,  19.)  And  in  the  next  verse  he  says,  "We  pray  you  in 
Christ's  stead  be  ye  reconciled  to  God."  And  the  same  apostle,  in 
his  letter  to  the  Ephesians,  speaking  of  Christ  Jesus  making  "  in 


AND    REGENERATION. 


227 


i 


himself  of  twain  one  new  many  so  making  peace/*  adds  :  "  And 
that  He  might  reconcile  both  [  Jews  and  Gentiles  ]  unto  God  in 
one  body  by  the  cross,  having  slain  the  enmity  thereby."  ( ii. 
15,  16.) 

Now  in  all  these  instances,  and  others  which  might  be  adduced, 
we  observe  that  the  apostle  speaks  as  if  the  advent,  sufferings,  and 
death  of  Jesus  Christ,  were  intended  to  reconcile  the  Divine  and 
the  human  mind,  or  to  bring  them  at  one,  not  by  effecting  any 
change  in  God,  but  a  change  in  man.  He  tells  us  that  God  was 
in  Christ  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself.  And  the  Greek  word 
which  is  translated  reconciling,  reconciliation,  cfec,  in  the  passao-es 
just  quoted,  is  in  every  instance  the  same  as  that  which  is  trans- 
lated atonement  in  Romans  v.  1 1 . 

Let  us  consider  here  for  a  moment  whether  there  was  any  ne- 
cessity, which  can  be  rationally  comprehended,  for  the  Lord  to 
come  upon  the  earth  in  a  natural  human  form.     And  if  we  reflect 
upon  the  state  of  the  Church  at  that  time,  even  human  reason  may 
perceive  that  there  was  this  necessity.     The  minds  of  the  Jewish 
people,  who  were  the  depositories  of  God's  Word,  had  become  so 
perverted  through  falses  of  doctrine  and  evils  of  life,  that  they 
could  not  be  instinicted  in  spiritual  things  which  pertain  to  heavenly 
life,  either  by  immediate  influx  from   the    Divine,   or   mediately 
through  the  Word,  or  in  any  other  way.     Their  minds  were  not 
in  a  state  of  heavenly  order,  but  in  a  state  of  infernal  G?/6'order ; 
and  whatever  flowed  into  them  from  heaven,  was  of  course  inverted 
or  turned  into  its  opposite,  just  as  warm  water,  falling  upon  a  sheet 
of  ice,  is  immediately  congealed.     How   differently   do   different 
bodies  upon  earth,  according  to  their  form,  receive  and  reflect  the 
rays  of  the  sun  !     So  it  is  with  man  in  respect  to  truth.     The 
purest  truths  receive  a  complexion  from  the  character  of  the  minds 
into  which  they  fall.     Let  spiritual  truths  be  presented  to  a  carnal- 
minded  man,  and  straightway  they  are  materiaHzed.     The  mind 
that  receives  them  must  first  change  them  into  a  form  accommo- 
dated   to  its   state  of  reception.     And  if  the  mind  be  not  in  a 
heavenly,  but  in  an  infernal  state,  then  truth,  on  passing  into  it,  is 
immediately  changed  into  falsity.    To  the  carnal  and  impure  mind, 
the  pure  spiritual  truths  of  the  New  Jerusalem  appear  false  and  im- 
pure ;  and,  in  the  form  in  which  such  a  mind  apprehends  them,  they 
are  so.     *'  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  :    for  they  are  foolishness  unto  Him  :  neither  can  he  know 
them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."     (  1  Cor.  ii.  14.) 


228 


THE    ATONEME>T, 


l^ow  the  Jews  were  eminently  a  carnal-minded  people ;  and 
such  was  their  state  before  the  Lord's  advent,  that,  whether 
He  imparted  truth  to  them  by  an  immediate  influx  into  their  minds, 
or  through  the  medium  of  his  Word  which  they  possessed,  or  in 
any  other  way,  they  would  either  not  understand,  or  they  would 
pervert  and  falsify  it.  Thus  they  were  taught  to  worship  Jehovah 
as  the  only  living  and  true  God,  and  did  worship  Him  with  their 
lips  :  but  in  their  minds  the  Being  whom  they  served  was  very  dif- 
ferent from  the  true  God —  nay,  was  quite  the  opposite.  J'or,  ac- 
cording to  their  understanding  of  Him,  He  was  seltish,  partial,  vin- 
dictive, and  altogether  such  an  one  as  themselves.  Indeed  the 
minds  of  all  men  were  then  so  immersed  in  the  sphere  of  hell,  that 
the  lia^ht  of  heaven  could  not  enter.  For  the  Church  is  the  kino-- 
dom  of  heaven  upon  earth  ;  and  in  the  degree  that  the  Church  is 
consummated,  this  kingdom  departs  from  human  minds,  and  hell 
flows  in  and  estabUshes  its  empire  there.  Previous  to  the  Lord's 
advent,  the  kingdom  of  hell  had  become  so  powerful  upon  the 
earth,  that  evil  spirits  infested  not  only  the  minds,  but  even  the 
bodies  of  men.     (  See  Matt.  iv.  24  ;  Luke  iv.  4L) 

Swedenborg  says : 

"  Before  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  the  hells  had  risen  to  such  a  hight 
that  they  began  to  infest  the  very  angels  of  heaven,  and  likewise  every 
man  corning  into  the  world  and  going  out  of  the  world.  The  reason 
that  the  hells  had  risen  to  such  a  hight,  was,  because  the  Church  was 
utterly  devastated  ;  and  the  men  of  the  world,  from  idolatries,  were  in 
mere  falses  and  evils,  and  the  hells  are  from  men  ;  thence  it  was,  that, 
unless  the  Lord  had  come  into  the  world,  no  man  could  have  been 
saved."— (Z).  L.  n.  33.) 

Now  since  man,  in  this  state  of  bondage  to  evil  spirits,  could  not 
receive  instruction  immediately  from  the  Lord,  nor  mediately 
through  the  Word,  without  falsifying  and  thus  wresting  it  to  his 
own  destruction,  it  was  necessary  that  Infinite  Wisdom  should  em- 
ploy  some  new  means  of  gaining  access  to  the  human  mind,  in  or- 
der to  redeem  and  save  men  from  hell.  Before  the  Lord  could  re- 
deem and  save  men  from  their  fallen  state,  it  was  necessary  that 
He  should  descend  to  them  in  that  state.  Before  He  could  teach 
them  how  to  remove  their  evils  in  any  form  that  they  could  under- 
stand, and  before  He  could  impart  to  men  the  power  of  his  truth 
and  love  with  any  saving  eflicacy,  it  was  necessary  that  He  should 
unite  himself  to  humanity  in  some  such  manner,  that  He  could  sen- 
sibly perceive  all  its  wants,  weaknesses,  errors  and  pollutions  ;  and, 


AND    REGENERATION. 


229 


by  means  of  his  own  divine  wisdom  and  power,  deliver  it  from  its 
infernal  bondage.  In  other  words,  it  was  necessary  that  He  should 
assume  humanity  with  all  its  evil  loves  and  false  persuasions,  and 
thus,  in  respect  to  that  humanity,  put  himself  in  every  possible 
state  that  man  ever  has  been  or  ever  can  be  in ;  so  that,  having 
once  met  and  subdued,  in  his  own  assumed  human,  every  infernal 
principle  that  ever  did  or  ever  can  flow  from  hell.  He  might  be  in 
the  power  of  forever  imparting  to  all  who  desire  it,  the  precise  in- 
struction in  heavenly  things  which  they  need,  and  the  precise  mea- 
sure of  power  which  is  requisite  to  remove  their  evils,  and  to  give 
them  the  dominion  over  hell. 

This  commends  itself  to  the  rationality  of  man  ;  and  this  the 
Almighty  did.  He  descended  into  nature  in  a  bodily  form,  by  first 
entering  into  and  animating  the  mdiment  of  a  human  being,  agree- 
ably to  the  angel's  announcement  to  Mary  :  **  The  Holy  Spirit  "shall 
come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Most  High  shall  overshadow 
thee :  therefore  also  that  Holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee, 
shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God."  His  being  born  of  a  woman  was 
strictly  according  to  his  own  divine  order ;  for  it  was  according  to 
that  order  which  He  observes  in  bringing  all  men  into  the  world. 
From  the  mother  He  derived  his  material  body,  together  with  all 
the  hereditary  tendencies  to  evil  which  appertain  to  fallen  hu- 
manity.    His  inmost  soul  was  Jehovah  God. 

"  That  the  Lord"  says  Swedenborg,  "  had  a  Divine  and  a  Human, 
the  Divine  from  Jehovah  as  Father,  and  the  Human  from  the  virgin 
Mary,  is  known.  Thence  it  is  that  He  was  God  and  man,  and  thus 
He  had  a  divine  essence  and  a  human  nature,  the  divine  essence  from 
the  Father,  and  the  human  nature  from  the  mother  :  and  thence  He 
was  equal  to  the  Father  as  to  the  Divine,  and  less  than  the  Father  as 
to  the  Human.  He  put  off  the  Human  taken  from  the  mother,  which 
in  itself  was  like  the  human  of  another  man,  and  thus  material,  and 
put  on  a  Human  from  the  Father,  which  in  itself  was  like  his  Divine, 
and  thus  substantial,  from  which  the  Human  also  was  made  Divine." 
— D.  L.  n.  35. 

And  when  the  Lord,  through  his  own  divine  power  and  wisdom, 
had  fully  glorified  the  assumed  Humanity,  that  is,  had  purged  it 
of  all  its  imperfections  and  impurities,  and  at  the  same  time  filled 
successively  every  region  of  it  with  the  essential  Divinity,  then  the 
Human  was  brought  ot-07ie  with  the  Divine.  Then  the  Son  was 
glorified  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  the  Son  ;  agreeably  to  the 
words  which  Jesus  spake  just  before  his  crucifixion  :  "  Father,  the 
hour  is  come  :  glorify  thy  Son,  that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee : 


230 


THE   ATONEMENT, 


as  thou  hast  given  Him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  He  should  give 
eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  Him.  I  have  glorified 
thee  on  the  earth  :  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest  me 
to  do.  And  now,  0  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self, 
with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  w^orld  was.  All 
mine  are  thine,  and  thine  are  mine  ;  and  I  am  glorified  in  them." 
(John  xvii.  1,  2,  4,  5,  10.)  Again:  **  Jesus  said,  now  is  the  Son 
of  Man  glorified,  and  God  is  glorified  in  Him.  If  God  be  glorified 
in  Him,  God  shall  also  glorify  Him  in  himself,  and  shall  straight- 
way glorify  Him."  (xiii.  31,  32.)  Then  He  was  able  to  shed 
down  upon  the  souls  of  all  men,  in  a  manner  and  degree  that  He 
could  not  before,  that  Holy  influence  which  is  called  the  Comforter 
or  Paraclete,  and  which  He  promised  to  send  from  the  Father. 
(John  XV.  26.)  Swedenborg  reveals  this  heavenly  arcanum  in  the 
followinc:  lanouatre  : 

"  The  Lord  came  into  the  world,  and  assumed  the  human,  that  He 
might  put  himself  into  the  power  of  subjugoring  the  hells,  and  of  re- 
ducing all  things  to  order  as  well  in  the  heavens  as  in  the  earths. 
This  Human  He  superinduced  upon  his  former  Human.  The  Human 
which  he  superinduced  in  the  world,  was  like  the  human  of  a  man  in 
the  world  ;  yet  both  were  divine,  and,  therefore,  infinitely  transcend- 
ing the  finite  human  of  angels  and  men.  And  because  He  fully  glo- 
rified the  natural  Human  even  to  its  ultimates,  therefore  He  rose  again 
with  the  whole  body,  difl^erent  from  any  man.  By  the  assumption  of 
this  human  He  invested  Himself  with  divine  omnipotence,  not  only  to 
subjugate  the  hells  and  reduce  the  heavens  to  order,  but  also  to  hold 
the  hells  in  a  state  of  subjugation  to  eternity,  and  to  save  mankind. 
This  power  is  meant  by  his  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  the  power  and 
might  of  God.  Since  the  Lord,  by  the  assumption  of  the  natural  Hu- 
man, made  Himself  divine  Truth  in  ultimates,  therefore  He  is  called 
the  Word  ;  and  it  is  said  that  the  Word  was  made  flesh.  Divine  truth 
in  ultimates  is  the  Word  in  the  literal  sense  :  this  He  made  Himself, 
by  fulfilling  all  things  of  the  Word  concerning  Himself  in  Moses  and 
the  Prophets.  Every  man  is  his  own  good  and  his  own  truth  ;  and  a 
man  is  a  man  from  no  other  ground  ;  but  the  Lord,  by  the  assumption 
of  the  natural  Human,  is  divine  good  and  divine  truth  itself:  or,  what 
is  the  same,  He  is  divine  love  and  divine  wisdom  itself,  as  well  in  first 
principles  as  in  ultimates.  Hence  it  is,  that  in  the  angelic  heavens 
He  appears  as  a  sun,  after  his  coming  into  the  world  with  stronger  ef- 
fulgence and  in  greater  splendor,  than  before  his  coming." — D.  L.  VV. 
n.  221. 

From  this  we  may  understand  what  is  signified  by  these  words 
in  the   prophecy  of  Isaiah,  where,  speaking  of  the  tim.e  of  the 


AND    REGENERATION. 


231 


Lord's  advent,  it  is  said:  '* Moreover  the  light  of  the  moon  shall 
be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  shall  be  seven- 
fold, as  the  light  of  seven  days,  in  the  day  that  the  Lord  bindeth 
up  the  breach  of  his  people,  and  healeth  the  stroke  of  their 
wound."  (xxx.  26.)  We  may  also  learn  from  what  is  here  said, 
what  is  meant  by  the  Son  of  Man  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
which  is  so  often  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament.  (See  Mark 
xiv.  62,  xvi.  19,  Matt.  xxvi.  64,  Luke  xxii.  69,  Heb.  i.  3.) 

The  precise  meaning  of  such  texts  has  not  hitherto  been  under- 
stood in  the  Church,  and  could  not  be  understood  before  the 
internal  sense  of  the  Word  was  revealed.  It  appears  as  if  two 
distinct  persons  were  spoken  of,  one  seated  at  the  right  hand  of 
the  other.  But  this  is  only  the  literal  or  apparent,  not  the  spiritual 
and  true  meaning.  The  internal  sense  shows  us  what  these  pas- 
sages really  signify. 

We  know  that  the  energies  of  the  human  body  are  determined 
in  an  eminent  degree  to  the  right  hand.     The  right  hand  is  the 
grand  instrument  of  man's  power  —  the  instrument  with  which  he 
operates,  and  performs  uses  in  the  natural  world.     It  therefore 
corresponds  to  the  power  of  truth  from  love,  because  it  is  this 
which  gives  man  spiritual  power.     Truth  from  love  is  the  instru- 
ment wherewith  man  operates  spiritually  —  the  instrument  with 
which  he  fights  against  evil  spirits,  and  performs  spiritual  uses. 
And  because  all  truth  is  of  God,  therefore  the  right  hand  of  God 
signifies  all  the  power  of  all  truth  proceeding  and  operating  from 
Divine  Love  ;  or  Omnipotence  and  Omniscience.     That  the  words 
have  this  meaning  is  manifest  from  many  passages  where  they 
occur.     Thus  in  Psalms,  ''  The  right  hand  of  Jehovah  is  exalted  ; 
the  right  hand  of   Jehovah  doeth  valiantly.''  (cxviii.  16.)     The 
Lord,   by  means  of  divine  truth,   is  valiant  against  our  spiritual 
enemies,  when  that  truth  is  exalted  into  the  will,  or  united  to  the 
good  of  love  in  our  minds.     Again  :   "  0  God,  thy  right  hand  is 
full  of  justice."  (Ps.  xlviii.  10.)     All  the  operations  of  God  are 
just,  because  they  are  all  from  love,  and  according  to  truth  ;  thus 
his  ''right  hand  is  full  of  justice."     Again:   "Jehovah  said  unto 
my  Lord,  Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies 
thy  footstool."     (Ps.  ex.  1.) 

"  That  these  things,"  says  Swedenborg,  «  are  said  concerning  the 
Lord  is  well  known,  and  thereby  is  described  the  combat  of  the  Lord 
In  the  world  against  the  hells,  and  the  subjugation  of  them,  which  was 
efl'ected  from  Divine  Good  by  Divine  Truth.     The  right  hand  there 


232 


THE    ATONEMENT, 


signifies  Divine  Truth ;  wherefore  it  is  said,  *  Sit  thou  at  my  right 
hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool.'  By  enemies  are  sig- 
nified the  hells,  and  by  making  them  the  Lord's  footstool,  is  signified 
his  complete  subjugation  of  them." — Ap.  Ex.  n.  298. 

But  it  is  needless  to  multiply  quotations  from  the  Word  in  con- 
firmation of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  God's  right  hand.  To  sit  sig- 
nifies, in  the  language  of  correspondence,  to  teach  and  to  judge 
according  to  truth.  Wherefore,  by  the  Son's  sitting  at  the  right 
hand  of  power,  and  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  is  denoted  the  exalt- 
ation of  the  Lord's  Human  to  a  state  of  omnipotence  and  omnis- 
cience, thus  to  a  state  of  oneness  with  the  Divine — endued  with 
all  wisdom  to  judge,  and  to  instruct  men  in  the  way  of  eternal  life, 
and  with  all  power  over  the  evils  which  infest  humanity.  In  other 
words,  we  are  here  taught  that  the  Lord's  Human  was  made 
Divine,  and  is  now  the  medium  through  which  Jehovah  God  im- 
parts all  regenerating  and  saving  influences,  and  the  instrument 
whereby  He  produces  all  spiritual  operations  in  heaven  and  on 
earth  ;  just  as  the  right  hand  of  man  is  the  medium  or  instrument 
through  which  the  mind  puts  forth  its  energies,  and  produces 
effects  in  the  natural  world.  Hence  it  is  with  reference  to  his 
Glorified  or  Divine  Humanity,  that  the  Lord,  after  his  resurrec- 
tion, says,  "All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth." 
(Matt,  xxviii.  18.)     All  power  is  omnipotence. 

I  have  said,  that,  according  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church, 
the  Lord  came  into  the  world  as  Divine  Truth.  And  this  agrees 
with  what  is  recorded  in  the  gospel  of  John,  where  it  is  said  that 
THE  Word,  which  "was  the  true  Light  that  lighteth  every  man 
coming  into  the  world  "  —  which  was  in  the  beginning  with  God 
and  is  God  —  "was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us;  and  we 
beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only-begotten  of  the  Father, 
full  of  grace  and  truth."  (i.  14.)  That  the  Word  here  signifies 
the  Lord  as  to  the  principle  of  Divine  Truth,  is  evident  from  its 
being  called  "  the  True  Light  which  lighteth  every  man."  And 
it  may  be  said  that  this  divine  principle  was  in  the  beginning  with 
God,  and  is  God,  as  truly  as  it  may  be  said  that  light  was  in  the 
beo-innincr  with  the  sun,  and  that  the  sun  is  the  light  of  this  natural 

world. 

That  Jehovah  came  into  the  world  as  Divine  Truth,  is  evident 
also  from  other  passages  ;  as  where  Jesus  saith,  "I  am  the  Light 
of  the  world."  (John  ix.  5.)  Again  :  "  I  am  come  a  Light  into 
the  world,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  me   should  not  abide  in 


AND   regeneration. 


233 


darkness."  (xii.  46.)  Again:  "I  am  the  Way  and  the  Truth 
and  the  Life."  (xiv.  6.)  By  the  Light  in  these  texts  is  evi- 
dently meant  the  Lord  as  to  Divine  Truth.  He  "came  a  Light 
into  the  world;"  therefore  He  came  as  the  Divine  Truth ;  and  yet 
He  did  not  separate  this  from  the  Divine  Good.    Swedenborg  says  : 

"  The  reason  why  Jehovah  God  descended  as  the  Divine  Truth,  was, 
that  He  might  do  the  work  of  redemption  ;  and  redemption  was  the 
subjugation  of  the   hells,  the  establishment  of  order   in  the  heavens, 
and,  after  this,  the  institution  of  a  Church.     The  Divine  Good  is  not 
competent  to  effect  those  things,  but  the  Divine  Truth  from  the  Divine 
Good :  the  Divine  Good,  considered  in  itself,  is  as  the  round  hilt  of  a 
sword,  or  as  blunt  wood,  or  as  a  naked  bow  ;  but  the  Divine  Truth 
from  the  Divine  Good  is  as  a  sharp  sword,  and  as  wood  in  the  form  of 
a  spear,  and  as  a  bow  with  arrows,  which  are  serviceable  against  an 
enemy.     By  swords,  spears,  and  bows,  in  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word,   also   are   meant  truths  fighting :    nor   could    the   falses    and 
evils  in  which  the  hells  were  and  perpetually  are,  be  attacked,  con- 
quered, and  subjugated,  otherwise  than  by  the  Divine  Truth  from  the 
Word  ;    nor  could  the  new  heaven,  which  also  was  then   made,  be 
founded,  formed,  and  arranged  in  order,  by  any  other  means  ;   nor  could 
the  New  Church  upon  earth  be  instituted  by  any  other  means.     More- 
over, all  the  strength,  all  the  virtue,  and  all  the  power  of  God,  is  of 
the  Divine  Truth  from  the  Divine  Good.     This  was  the  reason  why 
Jehovah  God  descended  as  Divine  Truth,  which  is  the  Word  ;  there- 
fore it  is  said  in  David,  Gird  thy  sword  upon  thy  thigh,  O  Mighty,  and 
in  thy  honor  ascend  ;  ride  upon  the  Word  of  Truth  ;  thy  right  hand 
will  teach  thee  wonderful  things  ;  thine  arrows  are  sharp  ;  thine  enemies 
shall  fall  under  thee.''     (Psalm  xlv.  4,  5,  6.)     These  words  are  concern- 
ing the  Lord,  and  concerning  His  combats  with  the  hells,  and  con- 
cerning his  victories  over  them. 

"  That  God,  although  He  descended  as  the  Divine  Truth,  still  did 
not  separate  the  Divine  Good,  is  evident  from  the  conception,  concern- 
ing which  it  is  read,  that  The  virtue  of  tlie  Most  High  overshadowed 
Mary.  (Luke  i.  35)  ;  and  by  the  virtue  of  the  Most  High,  is  meant 
the  Divine  Good.  The  same  is  evident  from  the  passages,  where 
He  says  that  the  Father  is  in  him,  and  He  in  the  Father  ;  that  all 
things  of  the  Father  are  his  ;  and  that  the  Father  and  He  are  one  ; 
besides  many  other  things  ;  by  the  Father  is  meant  the  Divine  Good.'' 
T.  C.  R.  86,  '8. 

Perhaps  if  we  duly  consider  the  purpose  of  the  Lord's  advent, 

we  may  be  able  rationally  to  comprehend  why  He  came  as  the 

Divine  Truth.     Although  by  his  coming  He  eflfected  a  judgment 

upon  the  Jewish  Church,  yet  it  was  from  pure  love  and  mercv 
20 


234 


THE  ATONEMENT, 


AND  REGENERATION. 


235 


to  mankind  that  He  came.  He  came  not  to  condemn  the  world, 
but  to  save  the  world.  (  John  iii.  17.)  He  came  to  resist,  over- 
come, and  remove  all  the  infernal  influences  that  infested  humanity, 
and  to  make  his  Human  Divine ;  so  that,  by  means  of  his  Glori- 
fied Human,  He  might  be  able  to  resist  and  subdue  evils  to  all 
eternity  in  the  minds  of  those  who  look  to  Him  with  faith,  and  in  a 
spirit  of  willing  co-operation.     In  tlie  language  of  Swedenborg : 

"  The  Lord  came  into  the  world,  that  He  might  reduce  all  things  in 
the  heavens  and  thence  in  the  earth  to  order  ;  and  this  was  done  by 
combats  against  the  hells,  which  then  infested  every  man  coming  into 
the  world  and  going  out  of  it ;  and  hereby  He  became  righteous- 
ness and  saved  mankind,  who,  without  that,  could  not  have  been  saved, 
as  is  foretold  in  many  passages  in  the  Prophets."—/).  L.  n.  14. 

Now  what  does  a  good  and  wise  father  do  when  his  children  are 
rebellious,  and  he  wishes  to  deliver  them  from  this  unhappy  state  ? 
He  chides  and  corrects  them  in  such  a  manner  as  the  truth  in  his 
imderstanding  may  dictate.  He  does  not  approach  them  with  ten- 
der caresses,  but  as  a  law-giver,  judge,  and  corrector.  And  al- 
though He  does  this  from  purest  love  to  his  children.  He  appears 
to  them  meanwhile,  not  in  the  character  of  an  affectionate  and  lov- 
ing father,  but  in  the  severe  character  of  truth,  judging  and  chas- 
tising. Nevertheless  the  truth  according  to  which  He  acts,  or  in 
the  character  of  which  He  appears  to  the  children,  is  not  separated 
from  parental  love,  but  proceeds  from  it  and  is  perfectly  united 
with  it  in  the  person  of  the  father ;  and  when  the  children  are 
grown  wiser  and  better  they  will  be  able  to  see  that  it  is  so. 

This  may  aid  us  in  understanding  ichy  our  Father  in  the  heavens 
manifested  Himself  to  Bis  children  as  the  Son,  or  the  Divine  Truth. 
He  could  not  be  brought  forth  to  view  in  any  other  way,  nor  ap- 
proach them  in  any  other  character,  because  of  the  rebellious  state 
of  His  children.  Yet,  as  the  Divine  Truth,  He  was  not  separated  from 
the  Divine  Love,  except  in  appearance.  In  reality  the  Son  and  the 
Father  were  ever  united  in  one  person,  as  truth  and  goodness  are  unit- 
ed in  one  mind.  And  the  more  our  minds  are  imbued  with  the  wisdom 
which  is  from  above,  the  more  clearly  shall  we  perceive  that  the 
Divine  Truth  exploring,  judging,  and  combatting  (  in  which  char- 
acter the  Lord  came  into  the  world),  was  the  truest  possible  mani- 
festation of  the  Divine  Love.  Thus  the  Father  is  manifest  in  the 
Son.  As  it  is  written,  "The  only  begotten  Son  which  is  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father,  He  hath  brought  Him  forth  to  view.''  (John  i.  18.) 
Moreover  the  coming  of  the  Lord  into  this  natural  world  as  the 


Divine  Truth,  represented  his  spiritual  advent  to  the  Church,  and 
to   every  mind  that  receives  Him  spiritually  ;    for    his    birth  in 
time  and  nature,  corresponds  perfectly  to  his  spiritual  birth  in  the 
minds  of  men.     He  always  comes  to  us  in  the  first  instance,  as  the 
Truth  exploring,  judging,  and  fighting  against  our  evils.     The  be- 
ginning of  every  spiritual  creation  in  man,  is  described  in  these 
words  :   **  God  said.  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light."  Truth 
is  the  form   in  which  the  Divine  Love  ever  first  manifests  itself 
to  our  minds,  "  convincing   us  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and   of 
judgment;"  just  as  affections  must  embody  themselves  in  thoughts, 
before  they  can  manifestly  appear.     When  the  truth  first  has  birth 
in  our  minds,  it  appears  as  a  tyrannical  master,  that  wishes  to  rule 
us  with  a  rod  of  iron.     It  causes  us  much  trouble  by  revealing  and 
judging  our    evil  inclinations  ;  and   appears  to  us  by  no  means 
lovely,  or  from  love,  but  harsh  and  severe.     Nevertheless  the  Di- 
vine Love  is  in  it :  the  Father  is  in  the  Son,  though  we  do  not  see 
Him.     The   Divine  Truth  in  our  understanding,  by  virtue  of  the 
Divine  Love  that  dwells  in  it,  is  perpetually  struggling  against  the 
evil  affections  which  appertain  to  our  natural  will.     And  when  our 
evil  loves  are  overcome   and  removed  by  means  of  ihe  truth,  then 
the  opposite  heavenly  loves  enter  and  have  place  in  the  will,  and 
the  union  of  love  and  truth,  or  of  Father  and  Son,  which  has  al- 
ways existed  in  the  Divine  Being,  becomes  manifest  to  our  minds. 
Then  in  our  minds  the   Father  is  glorified  in  the  Son,  and  we  un- 
derstand the  meaning  of  these  words,  "  No  man  cometh  unto  the 
Father  but  by  me"  (  John   xiv.  6.  ) ;  for  we  see  that  there  is 
no  other  way  of  subduing  our  evil  inclinations,  and  thus  comino" 
into  a  state  of  genuine  love,  but  by  means  of  the  truth  :  —  no 
way  of  coming  unto  the  Father  but  by  the  Son.    But  previous  to  our 
regeneration  the  truth  in  our  minds  is  in  subjection  to  our  natural 
evil  loves.     Thus  the  Son,  or  Divine  Truth,  in  us,  is  in  a  state  of 
humiliation,  yet  ever  struggling  against  our  evils  — praying,  as  it 
were,  for  a  manifest  union  with  the  Father.     And  this  leads  us  to 
speak  of  the  two  states,  which,  according  to  the   doctrines  of  the 
New  Church,  the  Lord  had  while  in  the  world  ;  the  one  a  state  of 
humihation,  and  the  other  a  state  of  glorification.    Swedenborg  says: 

"  Now  because  the  Lord  had  from  the  beginning  a  human  from 
the  mother,  and  successively  put  off  this,  therefore,  while  He  was 
in  the  world.  He  had  two  states,  which  are  called  the  state  of  hu- 
miliation or  exinanition,  and  the  state  of  glorification  or  union  with 
the  Divine,  which  is  called  the  Father.     The   state  of  humiliation 


236 


THE  ATONEMENT, 


AND  REGENERATION. 


237 


was  at  the  time  and  in  the  degree  that  He  was  in  the  human  from  the 
mother  ;  and  the  state  of  glorification,  at  the  time  and  in  the  de- 
gree that  He  was  in  the  Human  from  the  Father.  In  the  state  of 
humiliation  He  prayed  to  the  Father,  as  to  one  different  from  Him- 
self ;  but  in  the  state  of  glorification  He  spoke  with  the  Father  as 
with  Himself.  In  this  state  He  said  that  the  Father  was  in  Him, 
and  He  in  the  Father,  and  that  the  Father  and  He  were  one;  but 
in  the  state  of  humiliation  He  underwent  temptations  and  suffered 
the  cross,  and  prayed  that  the  Father  might  not  forsake  Him  ;  for 
the  Divine  could  not  be  tempted,  and  still  less  suffer  the  cross. 
From  these  things  now  it  is  manifest,  that  by  temptations,  and  continual 
victories  then,  and  by  the  passion  of  the  cross,  which  was  the  last  of 
the  temptations,  He  fully  conquered  the  hells,  and  fully  glorified  the 
Human." — D.  L.  n.  35. 

We  know  that  there  has  been  much  controversy  among  Christians 
respecting  what  has  been  called  the  double  nature  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Unitarians  have  objected  to  the  doctrine  commonly  held  upon  this 
subject,  as  being  absurd  and  impossible  ;  affirming  that  it  would 
thence  of  necessity  follow,  that  the  Lord  must  have  had  two  souls,  a 
double  conscionsness,  &c.  But  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church  ex- 
plain this  difficulty  in  a  manner  perfectly  satisfactory.  They  teach, 
that,  as  man  was  originally  created  after  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God,  so  he  is  now  re-created,  or  regenerated,  after  the  image  and  like- 
ness of  the  Lord's  Glorification.  Now  how  is  the  case  with  man 
while  becoming  regenerated?  He  has  two  states,  one  of  the  internal 
or  spiritual  man,  which  perceives  the  truth,  loves  it,  and  wills  to  obey 
it ;  and  the  other  of  the  external  or  natural  man,  which  wills  to 
gratify  the  cravings  of  self-love,  and  so  to  violate  the  truth.  And 
the  man,  at  different  times  during  his  regeneration,  is  in  each  of 
these  states.  Sometimes  he  is  let  into  an  elevated  state,  or  the 
state  of  the  spiritual  man.  His  evils  are  then  all  quiescent  ;  he 
loves  nothing  but  what  is  good  and  true,  and  appears,  as  to  his  in- 
ternal quality,  to  dwell  only  with  the  angels  —  to  be  fully  regener- 
ated. And  in  that  state  he  is  regenerate,  for  it  is  a  state  of  the 
spiritual  man  when  he  is  withdrafwn  from  externals.  At  other  times 
he  is  let  into  the  evil  state  of  the  natural  man.  The  sweet  influences 
of  the  angels  then  appear  to  be  withdrawn  from  hirfi,  and  he  is 
beset  on  all  sides  with  infernal  spirits ;  he  seems  to  have  no  love 
but  what  is  evil.  Sometimes  also  the  man  perceives  in  himself 
these  two  states  at  one  and  the  same  time.  It  is  as  if  he  had  two 
distinct  wills,  one  the  will  to  do  good,  and  the  other  the  will  to  do  evil. 

These  two  states,  indicating  as  it  were  /wo  minds,  are  mentioned 


by  the  Apostle,  and  described  by  him  in  these  words :  '*  I  find  then 
a  law,  that  when  I  would  do  good,  evil  is  present  with  me.  For  I 
delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  :  but  I  see  another 
law  in  my  members,  warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and 
bringing  me  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin."  (  Rom.  vii.  21,  22, 
23.)  In  another  place  Paul  says,  **  For  the  flesh  lusteth  against 
the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh  ;  and  these  are  contrary 
the  one  to  the  other."  (  Gal.  y.  17.)  Now  that  the  Apostle  does 
not  here  mean  by  the  flesh  man's  material  body,  but  the  external  or 
natural  mind,  in  contradistinction  to  what  he  calls  "  the  inward 
man,"  is  manifest  from  some  of  the  things  which  he  afterward 
mentions  as  **  the  works  of  the  flesh ;  "  such  as  hatreds,  emula- 
tions, wrath,  strife,  envyings,  (fee;  all  of  which  proceed,  not  from  the 
material  body,  but  evidently  from  the  natural  or  unregenerate  mind. 

Indeed  every  one  must  be  conscious  of  these  two  states  of  mind 
in  himself ;  one  of  the  spiritual  man,  which  perceives,  loves,  and 
wills  to  do  what  is  right ;  the  other  of  the  natural  man  which  loves 
and  wills  to  do  the  very  opposite.  And  the  reason  of  this  is,  because 
there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell :  and  man,  while  living  in  this  world, 
is  between  the  two  ;  that  is,  he  is  so  situated  as  to  receive  into  his 
mind  an  influx  of  principles  from  both,  and  these  are  exactly  op- 
posite in  their  nature ;  and  in  every  man  who  is  becoming  regener- 
ated, each  is  contending  for  the  mastery.  Michael  and  his  angels 
fight  against  the  dragon ;  and  the  dragon  fights  and  his  angels. 
(  Rev.  xii.  7.)  Even  Unitarians  recognize  the  existence  of  these 
two  states  or  minds  in  man,  as  is  manifest  from  their  frequently- 
speaking  of  our  higher  and  lower  nature.  They  never  think  of  this 
language  as  involving  any  thing  impossible  or  absurd,  but  as  ex- 
pressing a  universally  acknowledged  truth  ;  and  yet  it  seems  to  in- 
dicate their  belief  of  a  double  nature  in  man.  But  because  of  these 
two  conflicting  states  or  minds,  of  which  a  man  is  conscious  within 
himself,  he  is  not  two  persons,  nor  has  he  two  separate  souls  or  con- 
sciousnesses.* 

Now  what  were  these  two  states  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  when 

*  "  There  are  in  man,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  two  minds,  the  one  superior 
or  interior,  which  is  called  the  spiritual  mind,  and  the  other  inferior  or  ex- 
terior, which  is  called  the  natural  mind.  The  natural  mind  in  man  is  first 
opened  and  cultivated,  because  this  is  proximately  extant  to  the  world  ;  the 
spiritual  mind  is  opened  and  cultivated  afterward,  but  only  in  proportion  as 
man  in  life  receives  the  knowledges  of  truth  from  the  Word,  or  from  doctrine 
derived  from  the  Word  ;  wherefore  it  is  not  opened  with  those  who  do  not 
apply  those  knowledges  to  life.    When  the  spiritual  mind  is  opened,  then  the 


238 


THE  ATONEMENT, 


AND  REGENERATION. 


239 


on  earth  ?  This  question  has  aheady  been  answered  in  the  abow 
extract  from  Swedenborg.  They  were  his  state  of  glorification  and 
of  humiliation.  And  to  these  two  states  which  the  Lord  had 
while  in  this  world,  those  of  man  perfectly  correspond.  The 
spiritual,  which  is  at  the  time  and  in  the  degree  that  man  is  with- 
drawn from  the  loves  of  self  and  the  world,  and  is  under  the  influ- 
ence of  heavenly  affections,  represents  the  Lord's  state  of  glonfi- 
cation,  which  was  ''  at  the  time  and  in  the  deo^ree  that  He  was  in 
the  Human  from  the  Father  ;**  and  the  natural,  which  is  at  the 
time  and  in  the  degree  that  man  is  let  into  his  hereditary  evils,  and 
heavenly  things  are  subordinated  in  his  mind,  represents  the 
Lord's  state  of  humiliation,  which  was  **  at  the  time  and  in  the 
degree  that  He  was  in  the  Human  from  the  mother."  And  when 
man,  by  means  of  truth  and  power  from  the  Lord,  has  removed 
from  his  natural  will  all  its  perverse  and  evil  inclinations,  and  has 
thus  broui^ht  his  natural  man  into  such  a  state  of  aoreement  or 
oneness  with  the  spiritual,  that  they  both  will  the  same  things,  and 
act  as  it  were  spontaneously  in  union,  then  he  has  the  at-one-ment 
in  himself;  and  his  state  represents  that  of  the  Lord  when  "it 

light  of  heaven  flows  in  through  that  mind  into  the  natural  mind,  and  illu- 
minates it,  by  virtue  whereof  this  mind  becomes  spiritual-natural  ;  for  the 
spiritual  mind  then  sees'in  the  natural,  nearly  in  the  same  manner  as  a  man  sees 
his  face  in  a  mirror,  and  thence  it  acknowledges  those  things  which  agree 
with  itself;  but  when  the  spiritual  mind  is  not  opened,  as  is  the  case  with 
those  who  do  not  apply  to  life  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  which  are  in 
the  Word,  then  there  is  still  a  mind  formed  inwardly  in  the  natural,  but  this 
mind  consists  of  mere  evils  and  falsities.  The  reason  is,  because  the  spiritual 
mind  not  being  opened,  the  light  of  heaven  is  not  let  in  into  the  natural  mind 
by  the  right  or  direct  way,  but  only  through  chinks  round  about,  whence 
man  has  the  faculty  of  thinking,  or  reasoning,  and  of  speaking,  and  also  the 
faculty  of  understanding  truths,  but  still  he  has  not  the  faculty  of  loving 
them,  or  of  doing  them  from  affection  ;  for  the  faculty  of  loving  truths  be- 
cause they  are  truths,  can  only  be  given  by  the  inllux  of  the  light  of  heaven 
through  the  spiritual  mind  ;  for  the  light  of  heaven  flowing  in  through  the 
spiritual  mind  is  conjoined  with  the  heat  of  heaven,  which  is  love,  and 
may  be  compared  to  the  light  of  fhe  world  in  the  time  of  spring;  but 
the  light  of  heaven  flowing  only  through  chinks  into  the  natural  princi- 
ple, is  a  light  separated  from  the  heat  of  heaven,  which  is  love,  and  is  com- 
paratively as  the  light  of  the  world  in  the  time  of  winter.  Hence  it  may  be 
evident,  that  the  man  in  whom  the  spiritual  mind  is  opened,  is  as  a  garden 
and  a  paradise  ;  and  that  he  in  whom  the  spiritual  mind  is  not  opened,  is  as 
a  desert,  and  as  land  covered  with  snow  ;  inasmuch  as  the  mind  makes  the 
man,  for  the  mind  of  man  consists  of  understanding  and  will  ;  hence  it  is  the 
same  thing  whether  we  use  the  expression,  mind  or  man,  or  whether  we  say  the 
spiritual  and  natural  mind,  or  the  spiritual  and  natural  man.*'  {Ap.  Ex.  n.  406.) 


was  finished"  —  when  the  hells  were  subjugated  —  the  Human 
brought  ai-one  with  the  Divine :  when  the  Son  was  glorified  with 
the  Father's  own  self,  '*  with  the  glory  which  He  had  with  Him 
before  the  world  was."     (John  xvii.  5.) 

Whoever,  therefore,  reflects  upon  the  two  states  which  every 
man  has  while  undergoing  regeneration,  and  remembers  at  the 
same  time  that  our  regeneration  is  an  image  of  the  Lord's  glorifi- 
cation, will  readily  perceive  why  the  Saviour  sometimes  prayed 
when  on  earth,  and  spake  of  Himself  as  if  He  were,  as  to  person^ 
distinct  from  and  inferior  to  the  Father ;  for  in  his  state  of  humil- 
iation, when  He  was  in  the  maternal  human,  before  that  human 
was  glorified.  He  was  separate  from,  and  inferior  to  the  Father, — 
only,  however,  as  the  natural  man  is  separate  from  and  inferior  to 
the  spiritual  man,  before  they  have  been  brought  at-one  by  regen- 
eration. 

According  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  man's  regene- 
ration is  an  image  of  the  Lord's  glorification.  And  by  this  is 
meant  that  the  Lord  overcomes  and  removes  the  evils  appertaining 
to  the  natural  man,  in  all  who  really  desire  it  and  are  willing  to 
co-operate  with  Him  in  this  work,  after  the  same  manner  that  He 
overcame  and  removed  the  hereditary  evils  from  the  humanity 
which  He  assumed.  He  makes  our  natural  man  spiritual,  in  a 
manner  resembling  that  whereby  He  made  his  own  Human  Divine. 
That  this  is  so,  is  manifest  from  his  own  words  to  his  disciples : 
**  And  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  ye  iclikh 
have  followed  me  in  the  regeneration,  when  the  Son  of  Man  shall 
sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve 
thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  (Matt.  xix.  28.) 
**  Jesus  said  imto  his  disciples.  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let 
him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  2.wdi  folloio  me.'"  (xvi.  24.) 
"  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them  and  they  follow  me  ; 
and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  fife."  (John  x.  27,  28.)  "I  am 
the  Light  of  the  world  :  he  that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in 
darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."  (viii.  12.)  Now  from 
these  and  other  similar  texts,  we  learn  that  it  is  necessary  to  follow 
the  Lord  in  order  to  become  regenerated,  or  to  receive  ''  the  light 
of  life."  And  to  follow  Him,  must  evidently  denote  the  doing  of 
thino's  similar  to  those  that  He  did.*     It  must  mean  that  we  are  to 


*  It  is  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church,  that  man  does  not  and 
cannot  remove  evils  of  himself;  but  the  Lord  alone  can  do  this.  Neverthe- 
less that  man  ought  to  fight  against  them  as  of  himself^  w  hile  in  heart  he 


238 


THE  ATONEMENT, 


AND  REGENERATION. 


23i» 


on  earth  ?  This  question  has  ah'eady  been  answered  in  the  abow 
extract  from  Swedenborg.  They  were  his  state  of  glorification  and 
of  humiliation.  And  to  these  two  states  which  the  Lord  had 
while  in  this  world,  those  of  man  perfectly  correspond.  The 
spiritual,  which  is  at  the  time  and  in  the  degree  that  man  is  with- 
drawn from  the  loves  of  self  and  the  world,  and  is  under  the  influ- 
ence of  heavenly  affections,  represents  the  Lord's  state  of  glorifi- 
cation, which  was  "  at  the  time  and  in  the  degree  that  He  was  in 
the  Human  from  the  Father  ;"  and  the  natural,  which  is  at  the 
time  and  in  the  degree  that  man  is  let  into  his  hereditary  evils,  and 
heavenly  things  are  subordinated  in  his  mind,  represents  the 
Lord's  state  of  humiliation,  which  was  **  at  the  time  and  in  the 
degree  that  He  was  in  the  Human  from  the  mother."  And  when 
man,  by  means  of  truth  and  power  from  the  Lord,  has  removed 
from  his  natural  will  all  its  perverse  and  evil  inclinations,  and  has 
thus  brought  his  natural  man  into  such  a  state  of  agreement  or 
oneness  with  the  spiritual,  that  they  both  will  the  same  things,  and 
act  as  it  were  spontaneously/  in  union,  then  he  has  the  at-one-ment 
in  himself;  and  his  state  represents  that  of  the  Lord  when  '^it 

light  of  heaven  flows  in  through  that  mind  into  the  natural  mind,  and  illu- 
minates it,  by  virtue  whereof  this  mind  becomes  spiritual-natural  ;  for  the 
spiritual  mind  then  sees'in  the  natural,  nearly  in  the  same  manner  as  a  man  sees 
his  face  in  a  mirror,  and  thence  it  acknowledges  those  things  which  agree 
with  itself  ;  but  when  the  spiritual  mind  is  not  opened,  as  is  the  case  with 
those  who  do  not  apply  to  life  the  knowledges  of  good  and  truth  which  are  in 
the  Word,  then  there  is  still  a  mind  formed  inwardly  in  the  natural,  but  this 
mind  consists  of  mere  evils  and  falsities.  The  reason  is,  because  the  spiritual 
mind  not  being  opened,  the  light  of  heaven  is  not  let  in  into  the  natural  mind 
by  the  right  or  direct  way,  but  only  through  chinks  round  about,  whence 
man  has  the  faculty  of  thinking,  or  reasoning,  and  of  speaking,  and  also  tlie 
faculty  of  understanding  truths,  but  still  he  has  not  the  faculty  of  loving 
them,  or  of  doing  them  from  affection  ;  for  the  faculty  of  loving  truths  be- 
cause they  are  truths,  can  only  be  given  by  the  intlux  of  tiie  light  of  heaven 
through  the  spiritual  mind  ;  for  the  light  of  heaven  flowing  in  through  the 
spiritual  mind  is  conjoined  with  the  heat  of  heaven,  which  is  love,  and 
may  be  compared  to  the  light  of  fhe  world  in  the  time  of  spring;  but 
the  light  of  heaven  flowing  only  through  chinks  into  the  natural  princi- 
ple, is  a  light  separated  from  the  heat  of  heaven,  which  is  love,  and  is  com- 
paratively as  the  light  of  the  world  in  the  time  of  winter.  Hence  it  may  be 
evident,  that  the  man  in  whom  the  spiritual  mind  is  opened,  is  as  a  garden 
and  a  paradise  ;  and  that  he  in  whom  the  spiritual  mind  is  not  opened,  is  as 
a  desert,  and  as  land  covered  with  snow  ;  inasmuch  as  the  mind  makes  the 
man,  for  the  mind  of  man  consists  of  understanding  and  will  ;  hence  it  is  the 
same  thing  whether  we  use  the  expression,  mind  or  man,  or  whether  we  say  the 
spiritual  and  natural  mind,  or  the  spiritual  and  natural  man."  {Ap.  Ex.  n.  406.) 


I 


was  finished"  —  when  the  hells  were  subjugated  —  the  Human 
brought  at'One  with  the  Divine  :  when  the  Son  was  glorified  with 
the  Father's  own  self,  **  with  the  glory  which  He  had  with  Him 
before  the  world  was."     (John  xvii.  5.) 

Whoever,  therefore,  reflects  upon  the  two  states  which  every 
man  has  while  undergoing  regeneration,  and  remembers  at  the 
same  time  that  our  regeneration  is  an  imao^e  of  the  Lord's  plorifi- 
cation,  will  readily  perceive  why  the  Saviour  sometimes  prayed 
when  on  earth,  and  spake  of  Himself  as  if  He  were,  as  to  iJerson, 
distinct  from  and  inferior  to  the  Father ;  for  in  his  state  of  humil- 
iation, when  He  was  in  the  maternal  human,  before  that  human 
was  glorified.  He  was  separate  from,  and  inferior  to  the  Father, — 
only,  however,  as  the  natural  man  is  separate  from  and  inferior  to 
the  spiritual  man,  before  they  have  been  brought  at-one  by  regen- 
eration. 

According  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  man's  regene- 
ration is  an  image  of  the  Lord's  glorification.  And  by  this  is 
meant  that  the  Lord  overcomes  and  removes  the  evils  appertaining 
to  the  natural  man,  in  all  who  really  desire  it  and  are  Avilling  to 
co-operate  with  Him  in  this  work,  after  the  same  manner  that  He 
overcame  and  removed  the  hereditary  evils  from  the  humanity 
which  He  assumed.  He  makes  our  natural  man  spiritual,  in  a 
manner  resembling  that  whereby  He  made  his  own  Human  Divine. 
That  this  is  so,  is  manifest  from  his  own  words  to  his  disciples  : 
**  And  Jesus  said  unto  them.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  ye  ^vhich 
have  followed  me  in  the  regeneration,  when  tlie  Son  of  Man  shall 
sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory,  ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve 
thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  (Matt.  xix.  28.) 
*' Jesus  said  unto  his  disciples.  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let 
him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  folloio  me.''  (xvi.  24.) 
"  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them  and  the}/  follow  me  ; 
and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  Hfe."  (John  x.  27,  28.)  '*I  am 
the  Light  of  the  world  :  he  that  followeth  me  shall  not  Avalk  in 
darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life."  (viii.  12.)  Now  from 
these  and  other  similar  texts,  we  learn  that  it  is  necessary  to  follow 
the  Lord  in  order  to  become  regenerated,  or  to  receive  "  the  light 
of  Hfe."  And  to  follow  Him,  must  evidently  denote  the  doing  of 
thino's  similar  to  those  that  He  did.*     It  must  mean  that  we  are  to 


*  It  is  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church,  that  man  does  not  and 
cannot  remove  evils  of  himself;  but  the  Lord  alone  can  do  this.  Neverthe- 
less that  man  ought  to  fight  against  them  as  of  himsd/f  while  in  heart  he 


240 


THE  ATONEMENT, 


fight  against  and  remove  the  evils  and  falses  appertaining  to  our 
natural  man,  as  He  fought  against  and  removed  the  evils  and  falses 
which  appertained  to  His  assumed  humanity. 

Again,  the  Lord  says  concerning  his  disciples  :  '*  And  for  their 
sakes  I  sanctify  myself."  These  words  clearly  prove  that  there 
was  something  in  the  Lord  when  on  earth,  which  needed  sanctify- 
ing —  something  which  was  not  yet  pure  and  holy.  Hence  they 
must  have  been  uttered  in  reference,  not  to  His  Divine,  but  to  His 
assumed  human  nature  ;  for  this,  Hke  the  human  of  other  men, 
was  by  inheritance  full  of  impure  and  unhallowed  principles,  which 
needed  to  be  subdued  or  put  away.  It  was  the  Lord's  maternal 
human,  therefore,  which  required  to  be  sanctified.  And  the  reason 
for  his  sanctifying  this,  appears  in  the  last  clause  of  the  same 
verse  :  **  That  they  also  migJU  he  sanctified  through  the  truth.** 
From  these  words  we  infer,  not  only  that  man  from  natural  is  made 
spiritual  in  a  manner  analogous  to  that  whereby  the  Lord  made 
his  Human  Divine,  but  also  that  human  sanctification  or  regene- 
ration proceeds  from,  and  is  dependent  upon,  the  Lord's  sanctifica- 
tion ;  and  is  effected  by  means  of  the  truth  proceeding  from  His 
glorified  Human.  It  was  for  our  sakes  —  for  the  sake  of  our  puri- 
fication from  evil  loves,  and  our  consequent  regeneration,  that  the 
Lord  sanctified  Himself,  or  made  His  Human  Divine. 

That  man's  regeneration  is  an  image  of  the  Lord's  glorification, 
is  also  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  apostles.  Thus  Peter  says : 
**  For  even  hereunto  were  ye  called  :  because  Christ  also  suftered 
for  us,  leaving  us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  his  steps.*'  * 


acknowledges  that  it  is  tlie  Lord  who  does  it  for  him  and  in  him.  Sweden- 
borg  says : 

"  The  man  who  fights  against  evils,  must  needs  fight  as  of  himself;  other- 
wise he  does  not  fight,  but  stands  like  an  automaton,  seeing  nothing  and 
doing  nothing  ;  in  which  state,  from  the  evil  in  which  he  is,  he  continually 
thinks  in  favor  of  evil,  and  not  against  it.  But  still  it  is  well  to  be  attended 
to,  that  the  Lord  alone  fights  in  man  against  evilsj  and  that  it  only  appears  to 
man  as  if  he  fought  of  himself,  and  that  the  Lord  is  willing  it  should  so 
appear,  inasmuch  as  without  such  appearance  there  could  be  no  combat,  and 
consequently  no  reformation." — Doctrine  of  Life,  n.  96. 

*  "  The  reason,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  why  a  comparison  is  made  of  the 
members  of  the  Church  with  the  Lord  himself,  when  it  is  said,  'To  him  that 
overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  over- 
came and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his  throne,'  is,  because  the  life  of 
the  Lord  upon  earth,  was  an  example  according  to  which  the  members  of  the 
church  were  to  live,  as  the  Lord  himself  also  teaches  in  John  :  *  For  I  have 
given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have  done  to  you.*     (xiii,  15.) 


AND    REGENERATION. 


^4\ 


(1  Pet.  ii.  21.)     Now  the  steps  by  which  the  Lord  glorified  His 
Human  were  a  series  of  temptation  combats,  or  a  constant  warfare 
against  those  infernal  principles  of  which  his  maternal  humanity 
was  full.     Thus  we  read,  in  three  of  the  Evangelists,  of  His  temp- 
tations in  the  wilderness  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  and  how  He 
resisted  the  tempter.     Wilderness,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  denotes  the 
state  of  the  natural  man,  or  one  wherein  there  is  a  destitution  of 
good  and  truth  ;  and  the  number  forty  denotes  a   full  state  from 
beginning  to  end.     Hence  the  forty  days  and  nights,  during  which 
it  is  said  the  Lord  was  in  the  wilderness  tempted  of  the  Devil,  sicr- 
nify  all  the  states  of  temptation  which  He  endured  while  on  earth  — 
the  last  of  which  was  the  passion  of  the  cross.     It  was  by  means 
of  these  temptations  admitted  into  His  human,  that  He  conquered 
the  hells,  and  at  the  same  time  put  oflF  successively  the  maternal 
humanity  and  put  on  a  Divine  Humanity.     And  it  was  the  heredi- 
tary evils  in  his  assumed  humanity,  that  rendered  Him  subject  to 
temptation.     Absolute  Perfection,  or  Divinity  itself,  could  not  be 
tempted ;  "  for  God,"  says  the  Apostle,  *'  cannot  be  tempted  with 
evil."     (James  i.  3.)     Even  a  perfectly  regenerate  man  is  beyond 
the  reach  of  temptation  ;  for  *'  every  man  is  tempted  when  he  is 
drawn  away  of  his  own  lusts,  and  enticed."     (i.  14.)     Upon  this 
subject,  Swedenborg  remarks  : 

"Temptations  are  nothing  else   than   combats   against  evils   and 
falses  ;  and  because  evils  and  falses  are  from  hell,  they  are  also  com- 
bats against  hell.     There  are  also  with  men  who  undergo  spiritual 
temptations,  evil   spirits  from  hell,  who  induce  them.     Man  does  not 
know  that  evil  spirits  induce  temptations  ;  yet  it  has  been  given  me 
to  know,  from  much  experience,  that  they  do.     Hence  it  is,  that  a 
man,  when  from  the  Lord  he  conquers  in  temptations,  is  drawn  out  of 
hell  and  elevated  into  heaven  ;  thence  it  is  that  man,  by  temptations 
or  combats  against  evils,  becomes  spiritual,  thus  an  angel.     But  the 
Lord  fought  from  his  own  power  against  all  the  hells,  and  utterly  sub- 
dued and  subjugated  them  ;  and  by  having  at  the  same  time  glorified 
his  Human,  He  keeps  them  forever  subdued  and  subjugated.     For 
before  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  the  hells  had  risen  to  such  a  hight, 
that  they  began  to  infest  the  very  angels  of  heaven,  and  hkewise 
every  man  coming  into  the  world,  and  going  out  of  the  world.     The 
reason  that  the  hells  had   risen   to  such  a  hight,  was,  because  the 
Church  was  utterly  devastated  ;  and  the  men  of  the  world,  from  idol- 


And  hence  it  is  that  the  Lord  himself,  in  other  parts  of  Scripture,  makes  a 
comparison  between  himself  and  his  disciples  ;  as  in  John  xv.  9, 10  ;  xvii.  16, 
18  ;  XX.  21,  &c."— Jp.  Ex.  n.  254. 
21 


242 


THE  ATONENENT, 


atries,  were  in  mere  falses  and  evils,  and  the  hells  are  from  men  ; 
thence  it  was,  that,  unless  the  Lord  had  come  into  the  world,  no  man 
could  have  been  saved.  These  combats  of  the  Lord  are  much  treated 
of  in  the  Psalms  of  David  and  in  the  Prophets,  and  a  little  in  the 
Evangelists.  Those  combats  are  what  are  meant  by  the  temptations, 
which  the  Lord  endured,  the  last  of  which  was  the  passion  of  the 
cross.  It  is  from  them  that  the  Lord  is  called  Saviour,  and  Redeemer. 
This  is  so  far  known  in  the  Church,  that  they  say  that  the  Lord  con- 
quered death,  or  the  devil,  that  is,  hell,  and  that  He  rose  again  victo- 
rious ;  as  also,  that  without  the  Lord  there  is  no  salvation.  That  He 
also  glorified  his  Human,  and  that  thereby  he  became  a  Saviour,  Re- 
deemer, Reformer,  and  Regenerator,  forever,  will  be  seen  in  what 
follows."— Z>.  L.  n.  33. 

The  apostles  also  speak  of  the  Lord's  temptations  while  He  was 
in  the  act  of  glorifying  the  Human,  as  being  a  pattern  of  our  own 
while  we  are  becoming  regenerated.  They  tell  us  that  **in  all 
things  it  behoved  Him  to  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren,  that  He 
might  be  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest : — For  in  that  He  him- 
self hath  suffered,  being  tempted.  He  is  able  to  succor  them  that 
are  tempted."  (  Heb.  ii.  17,  18.)  They  tell  us,  that  He  is  *'not 
an  high  priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infir- 
mities ;  but  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin.*' 
(ib.  iv.  15.)  By  means  of  these  temptations,  He  successively  sanc- 
tified himself  —  removed  from  his  assumed  humanity  all  its  heredi- 
tary evils,  and  filled  it  with  his  owm  Divinity.  And  this  is  what 
the  Apostle  evidently  means  by  his  di/in^  unto  sin.  (  See  Rom.  vi. 
10.)  And  that  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  do  the  same,  or  a  similar 
thing,  in  becoming  regenerated,  he  plainly  teaches  in  these  words  : 
'*  Now  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live 
with  Him.'*  (v.  8.)  And  again  :  *'  If  we  have  been  planted  to- 
gether in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be  also  [  in  the  hke- 
ness  ]  of  his  resurrection.  Knowing  this,  that  our  old  man  is  cm- 
cified  with  Him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  that 
henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin.**  (v.  5,  6.) 

It  is  thus,  and  only  thus,  that  we  can  become  regenerated  and 
saved  —  by  enduring  temptations  as  the  Lord  endured  them  ;  by 
becoming  "  dead  with  Christ  from  the  elements  of  this  world  ;  '* 
by  being  **  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death  ;*'  by  dy- 
ing unto  sin  as  He  died,  that  we  may  also  live  with  Him  unto  right- 
eousness ;  by  fighting  against  hell  as  He  fought ;  resisting  and  sub- 
duing the  evils  of  our  natural  will,  and  thus  losing  our  own  propei 
life,  that  we  may  find  true  life  from  the  Lord.     In  this  manner  (if 


AND  REGENERATION. 


243 


we  acknowledge  the  Lord  as  our  Regenerator  and  Saviour)  our  nat- 
ural man  is  gradually  and  successively  brought  ai-one  with  the  spir- 
itual man,  as  He  brought  his  Human  at-one  with  the  Divine.  And 
thus  we  "receive  the  at-one- ment."  (Rom.  v.  11.)  And  it  is 
through  Him  that  we  receive  it ;  for  all  this  work  of  regeneration 
is  effected  in  us  through  the  mediating  power  and  influence  of  the 
truth,  which  continually  proceeds  from  his  Divine  Humanity  to 
wash  and  purify  our  souls  from  sin  ;  which  truth,  in  its  proceeding 
from  the  Glorified  Human,  was  beautifully  symbolized  by  the  blood 
and  water  which  flowed  from  his  side  after  the  crucifixion. 

"  Blood  and  water  in  this  passage,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  denote  divine 
truth,  spiritual  and  natural,  thus  the  Word  in  the  spiritual  and  natural 
sense ;  and  to  pierce  the  Lord^s  side  is  to  destroy  both  by  falses,  as  was 
also  done  by  the  Jews  ;  for  all  things  of  the  Lord's  passion  represented 
the  state  of  the  Jewish  church  as  to  the  Word.  The  reason  why 
piercing  him,  signifies  to  destroy  the  Word  by  falses,  is,  because  this 
is  said  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  presently  after  is  called  the  Son  of  Man ; 
and  by  the  Son  of  Man  is  meant  the  Lord  as  to  the  Word  ;  there- 
fore to  pierce  the  Son  of  Man  is  to  do  the  same  to  the  Word." — 
Ap,  Ex.  n.  26. 

The  divine  truth,  therefore,  which  proceeds  from  the  Divine  Hu- 
manity, is  what  is  signified  by  the  blood  of  Christ.  It  is  this  truth 
which  reveals  to  us  our  evils,  and  is  thus  the  means  of  cleansing 
our  hearts  of  their  impurities.  "  This  is  that  blood  of  theXew  Tes- 
tament which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins.'*  (Matt. 
xxvi.  28.)  This  is  that  *' blood  of  Jesus  Christ  which  cleanseth  us 
from  all  sin'* — (1  John  1,  7) — that  blood  whereby  alone  we  are 
redeemed,  regenerated,  and  saved.  For  it  is  written,  "Except  ye 
eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no 
life  in  you.'*     (John  vi.  53.) 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  also  understand  what  is 
meant  by  our  being  reconciled  and  saved  by  the  cross  of  Christ. 
For  by  his  cross  is  denoted  temptations,  such  as  He  endured  when 
on  earth.  And  in  becoming  regenerated,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to 
endure  similar  temptations.  It  is  necessary  that  we  should  be 
assailed  as  He  was  by  the  powers  of  darkness,  and  that  we  should 
resist  them  through  the  strength  that  He  imparts.  Thus  we  must 
take  up  our  cross  and  follow  Him  ;  for  in  no  other  way  can  the  life 
of  self-love  be  extinguished,  and  the  loves  of  heaven  be  implanted 
within  us.  Hence  the  Lord  saith  :  **  If  any  man  will  come  after 
me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me. 


244 


THE   ATONEMENT, 


For  whosoever  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it ;  and  whosoever  will 
lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  shall  find  it.'*     (Matt,  xvi,  24,  25.) 

It  may  also  be  seen,  from  what  has  been  said,  how  the  Lord 
bore  our  sins  and  cfUTied  our  iniquities;  for  these  are  all  evils  from 
hell ;  and  the  Lord  in  glorifying  the  Human,  bore  the  assaults  of 
all  the  hells  ;  and  He  bears  their  assaults  now.  He  fights  for  us 
and  in  us  against  infernal  spirits,  as  often  as  we  look  to  Him,  and 
shun  evils  as  sins. 

"  That  it  is  said  of  the  Lord,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  that  He  carried 
sins  for  the  human  race,  is  known  in  the  Church  ;  but  still  it  is  un- 
known what  is  understood  by  carrying  iniquities  and  sins.     It  is  be- 
lieved by  some  that  it  denotes,  that  He  took  into  Himself  the  sins  of 
the  human  race,  and  suffered  himself  to  be  condemned  even  to  the 
death  of  the  cross,  and  that  thus,  because  damnation  for  sins  was  cast 
upon  Him,  mortals  are  liberated  from  damnation  ;  also  that  damnation 
was  taken  away  by  the  Lord  through  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,  since  the 
law  would  have  damned  every  one  who  did  not  fulfill  it.     But  by  car- 
rying iniquity  are  not  meant  those  things,  smce  every  man's  deeds 
remain  with  him  after  death,  and  then  he  is  judged  according  to  their 
quality  either  to  life  or  to  death  ;  and  therefore  they  cannot  be  taken 
away  by  transfer  to  another  who  carries  them  ;  hence  it  is  evident 
that  by  carrying  iniquities  something  else  is  meant.     But  what  is 
meant  may  be  manifest  from  the  carrying  itself  of  iniquities  or  of  sins 
by  the  Lord  ;  for  the  Lord  carries  those  things  when  He  fights  for  man 
against  the  hells,  for  man  of  himself  cannot  fight  against  them,  but 
the  Lord  alone  doeth  this,  also  continually  for  every  man,  with  a  dif- 
ference according  to  the  reception  of  divine  good  and  divine  truth. 
The  Lord  when  he  was  in  the  world  fought  against  all  the  hells,  and 
altogether  subdued  them  ;  hence  also  He  was  made  justice  ;  thus  He 
redeemed  those  from  damnation,  who  receive  divine  good  and  truth 
from  Himself.     Unless  this  had  been  effected  by  the  Lord,  no  flesh 
could  have  been  saved  ;  for  the  hells  are  continually  with  man,  and 
have  dominion  over  him,  so  far  as  the  Lord  doth  not  remove  them  ;  and 
He  so  far  removes  them,  as  man  desists  from  evils.     He  who  once 
conquers  the  hells,  conquers  them  to  eternity  ;  and  that  this  might 
be  effected  by  the  Lord,  He  made  His  Human  Divine.     He,  therefore, 
who  alone  fights  for  man  against  the  hells,  or  what  is  the  same  thing, 
against  evils  and  falses,  for  these  are  from  the  hells.  He  is  said  to 
carry  sins,  for  He  alone  sustains  that  burden.     The  reason  why  by 
carrying  sins  is  also  signified  the  removal  of  evils  and  falses  from 
those  who  are  in  good,  is,  because  this  is  a  consequence  ;  for  so  far 
as  the  hells  are  removed  from  man,  so  far  evils  and  falses  are  removed; 
ror  the  latter  and  the  former,  as  was  said,  are  from  the  hells;  evils  and 
falses  are  sins  and  iniquities." — A.  C.  n.  9937. 


AND    REGENERATION. 


245 


From  what  has  been  said  in  this  lecture,  it  nvdy  be  seen,  not 
only  that  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  concerning  the  Atone- 
ment is  in  agreement  with  both  reason  and  Scripture'',  but  that  it 
is  also  of  the  highest  practical  importance.     It  is  the  doctrine  of 
the  deification  of  the  Lord's  Human,  and  involves  the  whole  doc- 
trine of  man's  regeneration.    It  teaches  us  how  the  Human  and  the 
Divine  were  brought  at-one  in  the  Lord,  and  consequently  how  the 
natural  and  the  spiritual  man  are  to  be  brought  at-one  in  us.     It 
teaches  how  the  Lord  put  off  the  creaturely  Human  derived  from  the 
mother,  and  put  on  a  Divine  Human  from  the  Father ;  and  thence 
how  we  are  to  ''  put  off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds,"  and  to  '*  put 
on  the  new  man  which  is  renewed  after  the  image  of  Him  that  created 
us."    It  teaches  how  Divine  Love  and  Divine  Wisdom  were  brought 
ot-one  in  the  Divine  Humanity ;  and  hence  how  the  will  and  the 
understanding,  or  goodness  and  truth,  are  to  be  brought  at-o?2e  in 
finite  minds.     It  teaches  how  the  Lord  sanctified  himself,  and  to 
what  end— -^*  that  we  also  might  be  sanctified  through  the  triUhr 
Thus  it  teaches  that  we  become  images  and  likenesses  of  the  Lord, 
only  in  the  degree  that  we  follow  Him  in  the  regeneration  ;— in 
the  degree  that  we  shun  evils  as  sins,  and  thus  have  charity  and 
faith  united  in  our  minds ; — our  natural  brought  at-one  with  our 
spiritual  man,  and  our  wills  brought  at-one  with  the  will  of  the 
Lord ; — and  that,  so  far  as  we  love  and  love  to  do  the  truth,  we 
*' receive  the  at-one-ment,"  and  thus  are  saved  by  the  blood  of 
Christ. 


I 


THE   RESURRECTION. 


247 


LECTURE   X. 


THE    RESURRECTION WITH    A    BRIEF    VIEW    OF    THE     SPIRITUAL 

WORLD. 


"  There  is  a  natural  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual  body."—  1  Cor.  xv.  44. 

It  was  said  in  the  last  lecture,  that  truth  always  receives  a 
complexion,  more  or  less  strongly  colored,  from  the  character  of 
the  mind  into  which  it  falls.  As  a  man  must  see  natural  objects 
with  his  own  eyes,  if  he  see  them  at  all,  so  he  must  apprehend 
truth  with  his  own  understanding,  if  he  apprehend  it  at  all.  And 
since,  if  the  eye  be  diseased,  it  may  see  objects  double,  distorted, 
variously  colored,  or  in  great  obscurity,  so  if  the  undestanding  be 
perverted,  it  will  either  not  see  the  truth  at  all,  or  see  it  very  ob- 
scurely, or  in  a  strangely  colored  and  distorted  form.  Thus  the 
appearance,  to  any  one,  of  absolute  truth,  must  ever  depend  on 
the  character  or  state  of  his  own  mind.  If  spiritual  truths  fall 
into  minds  of  a  sordid  mould,  straightway  they  become  material- 
ized. Like  the  minds  which  receive  them,  the  truths  themselves 
become  **  of  the  earth,  earthy." 

Thus  when  the  Lord  said  unto  his  disciples,  **  Take  heed  and 
beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Sadducees," 
they  supposed  that  He  spake  of  the  leaven  of  material  bread, 
*'  and  reasoned  among  themselves,  saying,  it  is  because  we  have 
taken  no  bread."  When  He  spake  to  the  woman  of  Samaria  who 
came  to  draw  water  at  Jacob's  well,  and  said  unto  her,  *'  If  thou 
knewest  the  gift  of  God,  and  who  it  is  that  saith  to  thee,  give  me 
to  drink,  thou  wouldst  have  asked  of  Him  and  He  would  have 
given  thee  living  water  ;  "  the  wohian,  supposing  tliat  He  referred 
to  natural  water,  replied,  "  Sir,  thou  hast  notliing  to  draw  with, 
and  the  well  is  deep  :  from  whence  then  hast  thou  that  living  wa- 
ter ?  Art  thou  greater  than  our  father  Jacob,  who  gave  us  the 
well,  and  drank  thereof  himself,  and  his  children,  and  his  cattle?" 
(  John  iv.  10,  11,  12.)  When  He  said  to  the  Jewish  ruler,  '*  Ex- 
cept a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God," 
Nicodemus  supposed  that  He  refen'ed  to  natural  birth,  and  re- 
(246) 


plied,  "  How  can  a  man  be  born  when  he  is  old  ?  Can  he  enter  a 
second  time  into  his  mother's  womb  and  be  bom  ?  "  (  John  iii. 
3,  4.)  And  when  on  another  occasion  He  declared,  "  I  am  the 
livino-  bread  that  came  down  from  heaven.  If  any  man  eat  of  this 
bread,  he  shall  hve  forever ;  and  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my 
flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world,"  the  Jews  sup- 
posed that  He  spake  of  material  flesh,  and  therefore  strove  among 
themselves,  saying.  How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flesh  to  eat  ?  " 
(John  vi.  51,  52.)  And  even  *^his  disciples  murmured  at  it," 
thinking  it  "  an  hard  saying."  Wherefore  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
**It  is  the  spirit  that  quickeneth  :  the  flesh  profiteth  nothing:  the 
words  that  I  speak  unto  you  are  spirit  and  are  life."     (  v.  63.) 

Such  is  the  prevailing  tendency  of  the  natural  man  to  materialize 
the  things  of  heaven.  As  the  Apostle  hath  well  said,  '*he  receiv- 
eth  not  the  things  of  the  spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness 
unto  him  ;  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually 
discerned."  (  1  Cor.  ii.  14.)  He  is  ever  ready  to  drag  down  the 
spiritual  truths  of  the  Word  to  a  level  with  his  own  carnal  concep- 
tions. Hence  it  is  written  :  "  If  thine  eye  be  be  single  (or  sound) 
thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  light ;  but  if  thine  eye  be  evil  (  or 
diseased  )  thy  whole  body  shall  be  full  of  darkness.  If  therefore 
the  light  that  is  in  thee  be  darkness,  how  great  is  that  darkness  !  " 
(  Matt.  vi.  22,  23.)     This  is  an  eternal  law  of  the  human  mind. 

The  men  of  Christendom,  no  less  than  others,  have  ever  been 
prone  to  materialize  spiritural  truth  ;  and  have,  therefore,  inter- 
preted the  Scripture  for  the  most  part  in  a  manner  conformable  to 
their  own  gross  and  sensual  ideas.  Accordingly  they  have  be- 
lieved that  heaven  is  far  off"  from  this  natural  world  —  away  up  in 

the  sky because,  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word,  it  is  often 

spoken  of  as  being  above  or  on  high.  Because  the  Scripture  speaks 
of  the  passing  away  of  the  former  heaven  and  the  former  earth, 
and  the  appearing  of  new  ones,  therefore  they  have  believed  that 
this  natural  earth,  and  the  heavens  visible  above  our  heads,  are  all 
to  be  destroyed,  and  new  ones  created  in  their  place.  Because  we 
read  of  a  second  appearing  of  the  Lord  upon  the  clouds  of  heaven, 
to  judge  the  world,  therefore  they  have  believed,  that,  at  some 
remote  period  there  would  be  a  general  judgment,  when  all  these 
things  would  be  literally  fulfilled.  Because  the  Scripture  teaches 
that,  when  this  judgment  day  comes,  the  wicked  will  be  cast  into  a 
lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  therefore  this  also  has  been  understood 
and  believed  according  to  the  strict  sense  of  the  letter.     And  be- 


— J  f 


VM-M-S^M,   V     ^\JM.\^ 


x«  .10,0  wccu  uciieveu  ana  laugiu  tnat  the 


souls  of  men,  at  the  general  judgment  day,  would  be  reunited  to 
their  former  clay  tenements,  and  thus  the  human  race  be  raised  in 
their  matenal  bodies. 

In  this  way  the  Christian   Church,  forrrettinir  that  the  Lord'*? 

xu  mis   way    me  ^nnsiian   Uhurch,  forgetting  that  the  Lord's 

words  -  are  spirit  and  life,'*  and  interpreting  them  agreeably  to  its 

own  material  conceptions,  has  gradually  destroyed  the  vitality  of 

the  Word,  and  so,  finally,  destroyed  itself. 

But  the  doctrines  revealed  for  the  use  of  the  Lord's  New  Church 
upon  these  subjects,  are  very  different.    These  doctrines  teach  that 
the  spiritual  worid  is  not  far  off,  as  to  space,  but  is  within  the  nat- 
ural worid  as  the  soul  is  within  the  body.     They  teach  that  the 
passing  away  of  the  former  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  appearincr 
of  a  new  one,  denotes  the  passing  away  from  the  interiors  and  also 
from  the  exteriors  of  men's  minds,  of  the  principles  and  doctrines 
which  they  have  imagined  to  be  the  essential  constituents  of  a  true 
Church  —thus  the  passing  away  of  the  Old,  and  the  cominrr  of  a 
New  Church.     They  teach  that  the  coming  of  the  Lord  upon  the 
clouds  of  heaven  in  judgment,  denotes  not  a  perscmal  appearing  of 
Him  upon  the  material  clouds,  but  such  a  luminous  exhibition  of  the 
truth  of  his  Word,  which  is  Himself,  through  the  obscurity  of  the 
natural  understanding,   or  the   clouds  of  the  literal  sense,  as  to 
make  manifest  and  judge  the  evils  of  men.     They  teach  that  the 
judgment  day  is  not  far  distant,  but  that  a  particular  judgment, 
according  to  the  truth  that  each  one  has,  is  constantly  in  progress ; 
and  that  a  final  judgment  commences  with  every  one,  as  soon\s  he 
is  removed  from  the  natural  to  the  spiritual  worid.     They  teach 
that  all  who  are  in  the  spiritual  worid,  devils  as  well  as  angels,  are 
arranged  into  societies  according  to  the  quality  of  their  affections, 
i.  e.,  according  to  the  spiritual  affinity  which  they  have  for  each 
other ;  and  that  the  state  of  the  wicked,  whose  minds  are  imbued 
with  false  persuasions,  and  in  whosS  bosom  forever  burns  the  fire 
of  evil  loves,  is  described,  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  by  a 
lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  wherein  the  evil  are  said  to  be  cast. 
Finally,  these   Heavenly  Doctrines   teach,  that  the  souls  of  men 
will  never  be  reunited  to  their  material  bodies,  but  that  every  one 
has  a  spiritual  and  substantial  body  within  his  fleshly  tabernacle,  in 
which  spiritual  body  he  rises  immediately  after  death,  and  lives 
forever. 


Before  explaining  the  New  doctrine  concerning  the  Resurrection, 
it  may  be  proper  and  useful  briefly  to  examine  the  Old  and  com- 
monly received  doctrine  on  this  subject.  By  thus  presenting  the 
two  doctrines  as  it  were  side  by  side,  we  may  be  able  the  better  to 


^  y-kT'  >-&■*•« 


.i,:-i-   ^c  xi_ 


determine  which  of  them  is  true  and  which  imaginary.  Both  truth 
and  error  usually  appear  more  palpable  when  placed  in  contrast 
with  each  other.  *'A11  truth,"  Swedenborg  says :  **is  made  mani- 
fest by  relation  to  its  opposite." 

It  has  generally  been  believed  and  taught  by  Christians,  that,  at 
some  future  period  (few  have  undertaken  to  say  when),  this  natu- 
ral world  would  be  destroyed,  and  a  new  one  be  created  :  —  that 
then  the  souls  of  those  who  had  once  lived  upon  the  earth  would 
be  reunited  to  their  former  material  bodies,  and  a  general  judg- 
ment be  executed  upon  all  men  :  previous  to  which  general  judg- 
ment it  has  been  supposed  that  the  souls  of  men  would  remain  in 
a  kind  of  sleepy  or  torpid  state — existing,  yet  not  conscious  of  their 
existence.  Some,  however,  who  hold  that  the  material  body  will 
rise  at  the  general  judgment  day,  believe  that  the  soul  will  enjoy 
a  conscious  state  of  existence  previous  to  that  event.  The  "  Con- 
fession of  Faith"  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States, 
treating  of  man's  state  immediately  after  death,  says  : 

"  The  souls  of  the  righteous,  being  then  made  perfect  in  holiness, 
are  received  into  the  highest  heavens,  where  they  behold  the  face  ot 
God  in  light  and  glory,  waiting  for  the  fall  redempiimt  of  their  bodies  ; 
and  the  souls  of  the  wicked  are  cast  into  hell,  where  they  remain  in 
torments  and  utter  darkness,  reserved  for  the  jvdgment  of  the  great  day. ^^ 
(Chap,  xxxii.  J  1.)  Again  it  is  said  in  the  same  work  :  "At  the  last 
day  such  as  are  found  alive  shall  not  die,  but  be  changed  :  And  all  the 
dead  shall  be  raised  up  with  the  self-same  bodies,  and  none  other,  although 
with  different  qualities,  which  shall  be  united  again  to  their  souls  for- 
ever."    {Ibid.  \  2.) 

This  language  plainly  indicates  a  belief  (which  there  is  good 
reason  for  supposing  is  very  prevalent  among  Christians),  that 
the  souls  of  men  are  certain  ethereal  essences,  without  form,  and 
yet  possessing  consciousness.*     For  if  men  exist  in  any  form  im- 


*"  Concerning  the  state  of  souls  after  death,"  says  Swedenborg,  "these 
things,  in  general  and  in  particular,  are  at  this  day  believed  ;  that  human  souls 
after  death  are  spirits,  of  which  they  cherish  an  idea  as  of  a  breath  of  wind  ; 
and  that,  because  they  are  such,  they  are  reserved  until  the  day  of  the  last 


25C 


THE   RESURRECTION. 


mediately  after  death,  that  form  must  be  to  them  as  a  body  of  some 
kind  or  other ;  and  we  should  suppose  it  would  be  in  the  human 
shape.  Nor  are  we  able  to  understand  how  any  being  can  enjoy  a 
conscious  state  of  existence,  unless  he  be  conscious  of  existino-  in 
some  form.  In  the  natural  world  nothing  can  receive  or  reflect  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  unless  it  exist  in  some  form  ;  and  we  cannot  im- 
agine how  any  being  in  the  spiritual  world  can  enjoy  a  conscious 
existence,  unless  he  be  a  form  organized  for  the  reception  of  love 
and  wisdom  which  proceed  from  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world  ; 
for  without  such  reception  of  the  proceeding  Divine,  there  can  be  no 
conscious  life.  Because  our  affections  and  thoughts  appear  like  some 
ethereal  things  without  form,  it  does  not  by  any  means  follow  that 


judgment,  either  in  the  middle  of  the  earth,  where  their  place  is,  or  in  the 
Limbo  of  the  fathers.     But  in  these  things  they  differ  :  some  suppose  that  they 
are  ethereal  or  aerial  forms,  and  that  thus  they  are  like  ghosts  and  spectres, 
and  that  some  of  them  dwell  in  the  air,  some  in  the  woods,  and  some  in  the 
waters.     But  some  suppose  that  the  souls  of  the  deceased  are  transferred  to 
the  planets  or  to  the  stars,  and   there  abodes  are  given  to  them  ;  and  some, 
that,  after  thousands  of  years,  they  return  into  bodies.     But  most  suppose 
that  they  are  reserved  to  the  time  when  all  the  firmament,  together  with  the 
terraqueous  globe,  will  be  destroyed,   which  will  be  effected  by  fire,  either 
bursting  forth  from  the  centre  of  the  earth,  or  cast  down  from  heaven,  like  a 
universal  lightning  ;  and  that  then   the  sepulchres  will  be  opened,  and  the 
souls  which  have  been  reserved,  clothed  again   with  their  bodies,  and   trans- 
ferred into  that  holy  city  Jerusalem,  and  thus,  upon  another  earth,  they  will 
dwell  together  in  purified  bodies,  some  below  there,  and  some  above  ;  because 
the  hight  of  the  city  is  to  be  twelve  thousand  furlongs,  as  its  length  and 
breadth.    Rev.  xxi.  16. 

"  When  any  of  the  clergy  or  laity  are  asked  whether  they  firmly  believe  all 
those  things,  as  that  the  antediluvians,  together  with  Adam  and  Eve,  and  the 
postdiluvians,  together  with  Noah  and  his  sons,  and  also  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  together  with  all  the  prophets  and  apostles,  as  well  as  the  souls  of  other 
men,  are  still  reserved  in  the  middle  of  the  earth,  or  are  flying  about  in  the 
ether  or  air;  and  also  whether  they  believe  that  souls  will  be  clothed  again 
with  their  bodies,  and  become  united  with  them,  which  yet  are  carcasses  eaten 
up  by  worms,  mice,  and  fishes,  and  those  of  the  Egyptians,  as  mummies,  eaten 
up  by  men,  and  some  merely  skeletons  burnt  up  by  the  sun,  and  reduced  to 
powder  ;  and  likewise  whether  they  believe  that  the  stars  of  heaven  will  then 
fall  upon  the  earth,  which  yet  is  smaller  than  one  of  them;  are  not  such 
things  paradoxes,  which  reason  itself  dissipates,  as  it  does  things  that  are  con- 
tradictory? But  to  these  things  some  answer  nothing;  some,  that  those  are 
matters  of  faith,  under  obedience  to  which  we  keep  the  understanding;  some, 
that  not  only  these  things,  but  many  more  that  are  above  reason,  are  of  the 
divine  omnipotence;  and  when  they  name  faith  and  omnipotence,  reason  is 
banished,  and  then  sounl  reason  either  disappears  and  becomes  as  nothing,  or 
becomes  like  a  spectre,  and  is  called  insanity." — T.  C.  K.  n.  769,  770. 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


251 


we  could  either  love  or  think  (  indeed  it  is  manifest  that  we  could 
not  do  either)  without  existing  in  a  form  to  receive  the  Divine  Love 
and  Wisdom. 

It  appears,  therefore,  to  be  a  self-evident  proposition,  that  the 
principles  which  proceed  from  the  Divine  can  have  no  conscious 
existence,  except  in  their  recipient  subject ;  and  there  cannot  be  a 
recipient  subject  which  does  not  exist  in  some  form.  And  if  the 
souls  of  good  men,  immediately  after  death,  exist  in  a  substantial 
body,  or  in  such  a  human  form  as  to  be  ''perfect  in  holiness,'* 
"  beholding  the  face  of  God  in  light  and  glory,"  as  the  '*  Confes- 
sion of  Faith  "  above  quoted  teaches,  we  cannot  understand  why 
they  should  wish  to  be  again  united  to  their  material  bodies,  or 
how  their  happiness  could  be  enhanced  by  such  a  reunion. 

But  the  more  prevalent  opinion  probably  is,  that  the  souls  of 
men  will  sleep,  or  remain  in  an  unconscious  state  of  existence, 
until  the  general  judgment  day,  when  they  will  enter  into  and  re- 
animate the  bodies  which  they  had  in  the  natural  world,  and  thus 
be  raised  again  to  life.  According  to  this  opinion  the  souls  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  and  Moses  —  of  all  the  patriarchs,  pro- 
phets, and  apostles — of  all  men,  indeed,  who  have  ever  hved  and 
died  upon  this  earth,  are  not  now  living  in  any  conscious  state  of 
existence,  but  are  held  somewhere  in  a  kind  of  torpid  state,  wait- 
ing for  the  general  judgment  day,  when  they  shall  be  awakened 
from  their  long  slumber,  and  raised  again  to  hfe  in  ''the  self-same 
bodies"  which  they  animated  while  on  earth. 

Now  this  doctrine  concerning  the  resurrection  of  the  natural 
body  (to  say  nothing  of  its  extremely  irrational  and  unphilosophi- 
cal  character)  is  not  a  doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Scripture.  All  that 
was  revealed  to  the  first  Christian  Church  upon  this  subject,  is, 
that  man's  existence  does  not  terminate  with  the  life  of  his  body, 
but  that  he  possesses  an  immortal  part,  which  still  Hves  on  after 
the  body  dies.  This  is  all  which  that  Church  was  in  a  state  to 
receive  upon  the  subject — all,  therefore,  which  it  was  proper  for  it 
to  know.  But  on  account  of  its  very  external  and  sensual  charac- 
ter, it  could  not  conceive  of  any  resurrection,  nor  indeed  of  any 
real  life,  without  the  material  body.  Therefore  Christians  have 
believed  and  taught  that  the  resurrection  generally  spoken  of  in 
the  Bible  means  the  resuscitation  of  this  identical  body. 

I  will  now  state  the  New  doctrine  upon  this  subject  in  the 
language  of  Swedenborg  himself;  and  then,  as  we  proceed  with 


1 


252 


THE   RESURRECTION. 


the  discussion,  the  reader  will  be  able  to  judge  which  doctrine  is 
best  supported  by  the  united  testimony  of  reason  and  Scripture. 

"  Man  is  so  created,  that,  as  to  his  internal,  he  cannot  die,  for  he  is 
capable  of  believing  in  God,  and  also  of  loving  God,  and  thus  of  being 
conjoined  to  God  by  faith  and  love  ;  and  to  be  conjoined  to  God  is  to 
live  to  eternity. 

"  This  internal  is  with  every  man  who  is  born  ;  his  external  is  that 
by  means  of  which  he  brings  into  effect  the  things  which  are  of  faith 
and  love.  The  internal  is  what  is  called  the  spirit,  and  the  external 
is  what  is  called  the  body.  The  external,  which  is  called  the  body,  is 
accommodated  to  uses  in  the  natural  world  ;  this  is  rejected  when 
man  dies ;  but  the  internal,  which  is  called  the  spirit,  is  accommo- 
dated to  uses  in  the  spiritual  world;  this  does  not  die.  This  internal 
is  then  a  good  spirit  and  an  angel,  if  the  man  had  been  good  when  in 
the  world,  but  an  evil  spirit,  if  the  man  had  been  evil  when  in  the 
world. 

"  The  spirit  of  man,  after  the  death  of  the  body,  appears  in  the 
spiritual  world  in  a  human  form,  altogether  as  in  the  [natural]  world  ; 
he  enjoys  also  the  faculty  of  seeing,  of  hearing,  of  speaking,  of  feel- 
ing, as  in  the  world  ;  and  he  is  endowed  with  every  faculty  of  think- 
ing, of  willing,  and  of  acting,  as  in  the  world.  In  a  word,  he  is  a 
man  as  to  all  things  and  every  particular,  except  that  he  is  not  encom- 
passed with  that  gross  body  which  he  had  in  the  world  ;  he  leaves 
that  when  he  dies,  nor  does  he  ever  reassume  it. 

"  This  continuation  of  life  is  what  is  understood  by  the  Resurrec- 
tion. The  reason  why  men  believe  that  they  are  not  to  rise  again 
before  the  last  judgment,  when  also  every  visible  object  of  the  world 
is  to  perish,  is  because  they  have  not  understood  the  Word ;  and 
because  sensual  men  place  their  life  in  the  body,  and  believe  that 
unless  this  were  to  live  again,  it  would  be  all  over  with  the  man. 

"The  life  of  man  after  death  is  the  life  of  his  love  and  the  life 
of  his  faith;  hence  such  as  his  love  and  such  as  his  faith  had  been, 
when  he  lived  in  the  world,  such  his  life  remains  to  eternity.  It  is 
the  life  of  hell  with  those  who  have  loved  themselves  and  the  world 
above  all  things,  and  the  life  of  heaven  with  those  who  have  loved 
God  above  all  things  and  their  neighbors  as  themselves.  The  latter 
are  they  that  have  faith,  but  the  former  are  they  that  have  not  faith. 
The  life  of  heaven  is  what  is  called  eternal  life,  and  the  life  of  hell 
is  what  is  called  death." — N.  J.  D.  n.  223—227. 

"  Man  rises  immediately  after  death,  and  then  appears  to  himself  in 
the  body  altogether  as  in  the  world,  with  such  a  face,  with  such  mem- 
bers, arms,  hands,  feet,  breast,  belly,  loins  ;  yea  also  when  he  sees 
himself  and  touches  himself,  he  saith  that  he  is  a  man  as  in  the  world. 
Nevertheless  it  is  not  his  external  principle,  which  he  carried  about 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


253 


i 


m  the  world,  that  he  sees  and  touches,  but  it  is  the  internal  principle, 
which  constitutes  that  very  human  principle  which  lives,  and  wh-ch 
had  an  external  principle  about  it,  or  out  of  singular  the  things  be- 
longing to  itself,  whereby  it  could  be  in  the  world,  and  act  suitably  to 
Its  Situation  there  in  the  performance  of  its  functions  ;  the  earthly  cor- 
poreal  principle  is  no  longer  of  any  use  to  it,  it  being  in  another  world 
where  are  other  functions,  and  other  pbwers  and  abilities,  to  which  its 
body,  such  as  it  hath  there,  is  adapted.     This  body  it  sees  with  its 
eyes,  not  those  which  it  had  in  the  world,  but  those  which  it  hath 
there,  which  are  the  eyes  of  its  internal  man,  and  by  virtue  of  which 
through  the  eyes  of  the  body  it  had  heretofore  seen  worldly  and  ter- 
restial  things.     It  also  feels  it  with  the  touch,  not  with  the  hands  or 
sense  of  touching  which  it  enjoyed  in  the  world,  but  with  the  hands 
and  sense  of  touching  which  it  there  enjoys,  which  is  that  from  which 
Its  sense  of  touching  in  the  world  existed ;  every  sense  also  is  there 
more  exquisite  and  more  perfect,  because  it  is  the  sense  of  the  inter- 
nal principle  of  man  set  loose  from  the  external,  for  the  internal 
principle  is  in  a  more  perfect  state,  inasmuch  as  it  gives  to  the  ex- 
ternal the  power  of  sensation  ;  but  when  it  acts  into  the  external, 
as  m  the  world,  in  this  case  the  sensation  is  rendered  dull  and  ob- 
scure.    Moreover  it  is  the  internal  principle  which  is  sensible  of  the 
internal,  and  the  external  principle  which  is  sensible  of  the  external ; 
hence  it  is  that  men  see  each  other,  and  are  in  society  together  ac- 
cording to  the  interiors.     For  my  conviction  of  the  certahity  of  all 
this,  it  hath  also  been  given  me  to  touch  spirits  themselves,  and  to 
discourse  frequently  with  them  on  this  subject."— A.  C.  n.  5078. 

Here  we  have  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  concerning  the 
resurrection,  in  Swedenborg's  own  language.     And  according  to 
this  doctrine,  we  perceive  that  every  man  has  a  spiritual  as  well  as 
a  material  body.     The  spiritual  body  is  real  and  substantial  —  the 
very  man   himself— not  subject  to  death  or  decay  ;  the  material 
body  is  the  clothing  of  the  spiritual,  and  needful  as  an  instrument 
to  enable  it  to  perform  uses  in  the  natural  worid.    When  the  natu- 
ral body  dies,  the  real  life  of  a  man  is  by  no  means  interrupted ; 
but,  if  he  be  a  good  man,  he  then  lives  more  truly  than  ever.     He 
is  removed  to  the  worid  of  causes,  and  enjoys  a  state  of  existence 
vastly  superior  to  that  which  he  enjoyed  while  connected  with  the 
material  body.     He  is  then  elevated  into  a  worid  which  is  a  dis- 
crete degree  above  the  natural,  wherein  everything  is  much  more 
real  and  perfect  than  it  is  in  this  worid  ;  and  he  has  his  senses 
greatly  refined  and  exalted,  and  his  capacity  for  knowledge  and 
enjoyment  vastly  increased. 

Thus,  according  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church,  the  death 


254 


THE   RESURRECTION. 


of  the  body  is  no  suspension  or  interruption  of  the  life  of  man,  but 
is  a  change  which  is  needful  to  our  further  progress,  and  to  the 
fuller  development  of  all  our  faculties.  We  do  not  lie  down  to 
sleep,  may-be  for  thousands  of  years,  and  then  to  resume  our 
worn-out  earthly  tenements  ;  but  we  rise  immediately  in  a  spir- 
itual body  to  a  state  of  greater  wakefulness  than  we  enjoyed  while 
in  the  flesh. 

Now  we  regard  this  doctrine  as  quite  consistent  both  with 
reason  and  Scripture,  while  the  Old  doctrine  is  plainly  contrary  to 
both. 

Those  who  receive  the  Sacred  Scripture  as  the  Word  of  God, 
believe  that  the  Author  of  revelation  is  also  the  Author  of  nature ; 
and  that  these  two  volumes  cannot,  therefore,  conflict,  but  must 
be  in  perfect  agreement  with  each  other.  Now,  where,  throughout 
the  vast  domains  of  nature,  do  we  discover  anything  that  bears  an 
analogy  to  the  Old  and  commonly  received  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection ?  We  behold  around  us  hvino-  creatures  undero-oino-  various 
transformations  in  their  mode  of  existence.  For  example,  we  see 
the  creeping  worm  passing  through  successive  states  in  the  progress 
of  its  development,  until  at  last  it  emerges  from  the  stupid  chrys- 
alis, a  beautiful  winged  butterfly,  joyous  and  happy,  spoiling 
among  flowers  and  buoyant  as  the  sweet  breeze  it  sails  upon.  But 
never  does  it  resume  the  exuviae  which  clothed  it  while  a  worm ; 
for  useful  as  that  covering  was,  when  in  the  infancy  of  its  beino-  it 
crawled  upon  the  earth,  it  needs  it  no  longer  now  that  it  is  able  to 
fly  in  the  air.  And  nowhere  in  nature  do  we  find  an  example  of 
a  creature  that  has  its  conscious  life  suspended  by  castino-  its 
slough,  or  that  ever  resumes  the  envelope  which  it  has  once  re- 
jected. But  what  a  beautiful  illustration  of  the  New  Church  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection,  have  we  in  the  case  of  a  butterfly  risin^y 
from  a  worm  ! 

And  while  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  upon  this  subject  is 
so  well  supported  by  analogical  reasoning,  that  of  the  Old  is  as 
plainly  contrary  to  all  analogy  ffor  it  is  plainly  contrary  to  all  that 
we  know  of  the  order  of  God's  Providence,  that  the  particles 
which  compose  our  material  bodies,  so  useful  to  our  spirits  here  in 
the  natural  world,  should  —  after  they  have  performed  their  ap- 
pointed use,  been  rejected,  resolved  into  their  original  elements, 
and  scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  heaven  —  be  re-collected,  and 
again  become  the  dwelling-place  of  the  spirits  that  now  animate 
them.     And  if  this  be   contrary  to  the  laws  of  divine  order,  we 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


255 


may  affirm  (and  that  without  hmiting  the  omnipotence  of  God) 
that  it  is  impossible,  and  will  never  take  place  ;  for  God  can  never 
act  contrary  to  his  own  divine  order,  and  is,  therefore,  omnipotent 
only  according  to  order. 

But  there  is  another  still  stronger  objection  which  reason  urges 
against  the  commonly  received  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.     It  is 
a  thing  well  known,  and  generally  admitted,  that  our  bodies  are 
undergoing  a  constant  change  in  respect  to  the  material  particles 
that  compose  them  ;  so  that  we  have  not  precisely  the  same  bodies 
now  that  we  had  a  year  ago ;  and  in  about  seven  years  from  this 
time,  all  the  particles  which  form   our  present   bodies  will  have 
passed  off"  and  been  replaced  by  other  and  different  particles.     If, 
therefore,  the  body  of  man,  in  respect  to  the  specific  atoms  that 
compose  it,  is  entirely  changed  once  in  seven  years,  at  the  age  of 
seventy  a  man  will  have  had  not  less  than  ten  diff'erent  bodies. 
Now  which  among  this  number  will  he  have  at  the  resurrection 
day  ?     Some  say,  the  body  which  was  laid  in  the  grave,  or  that 
which  the  man  had  at  the  time  of  his  death.     But  it  is  plain  that 
this  would  be  giving  some  a  very  great  advantage  over  others,  and 
without  any  apparent  reason  ;  for  the  soldier,  or  the  self-murderer, 
who  dies  suddenly  in  the  full  vigor  and  bloom  of  life,  would  rise 
at  the  judgment  day  with  a  much  better  body  than  those  who 
have  died  of  a  lonof  and  emaciatinof  disease. 

Moreover,  it  is  known  that  the  body,  which  is  laid  off"  at  death, 
after  a  while  decays  and  becomes  wholly  dissipated.     And  philos- 
ophy teaches  us  that  the  particles  which  compose  it  enter  into  new 
combinations,  and  help  to  form  new  bodies.     Indeed  this  must  be 
the  case,  unless  we  admit  that  these  decomposed  particles  remain 
idle  and  of  no  use,  which  is  a  thing  contrary  to  all  we  know  of  the 
economy  of  God  ;  for  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  natural  as  well 
as  in  the  spiritual  world,  is  a  kingdom  of  ends  and  uses.     Hence 
it  would  result  that  the  particles,  which  once  formed  the  bodies  of 
the  patriarchs  and  prophets  of  old,  may  have  since  entered  into 
and  formed  parts  not  only  of  plants,  beasts,  and  birds,  but  of  the 
bodies  of  innumerable  other  men.     And  not  only  so,  but  some  of 
the  same  particles,  in  a  succession  of  ages,  may  have  formed  con- 
stituent portions  of  the  bodies  of  thousands  of  men,  even  at  the 
moment  of  their  death.     Who  among  these  thousands,  therefore, 
when  the  body  rises,  shall  possess  the  particles  which  have  been 
owned  alike  by  all  ? 

Besides,  if  we  believe  in  the  reality  of  a  spiritual  world,  it  seems 


266 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


257 


necessary  to  admit  that  things  in  that  world  are  diflferent  in  their 
nature  from  things  in  this  —  that  they  are  spiritual  and  not  ma- 
lerial.  For  it  would  be  absurd  to  talk  of  a  spiritual  world  wherein 
exist  things  material.  And  if  there  be  any  inhabitants  of  that 
world,  their  bodies  must  be  spiritual  bodies  ;  for  if  they  were  ma- 
terial, there  would  be  no  adaptation  of  them  to  other  things,  nor 
would  they  be  fitted  to  perform  uses  there,  any  more  than  a  spir- 
itual body  is  fitted  to  perform  uses  in  this  world  where  all  things 
are  material.  Therefore,  to  deny  that  man  rises  after  death  in  a 
spiritual  body,  and  to  maintain  the  doctrine  that  the  material  body 
is  to  rise  again,  is  to  deny  the  reality  of  a  spiritual  world.  It  is 
pure  materialism. 

There  are  other  objections  of  a  rational  kind  to  the  doctrine  of  a 
resurrection  of  the  material  body,  drawn  from  the  known  laws  of 
all  material  things  —  their  liability  to  change,  decay,  and  in- 
jury. But  those  which  have  been  already  urged,  must,  I  think,  ap- 
pear insuperable  to  every  honest  and  reflecting  mind.  When  this 
doctrine,  therefore,  is  received  for  the  truth,  it  must  be  done  either 
without  any  reflection,  or  in  utter  disregard  of  the  monitions  of  rea- 
son —  through  a  blind  surrender  of  one's  understanding  to  his 
faith. 

Now  while  it  is  not  pretended  that  we  can  prove,  by  the  aid  of  rea- 
son alone,  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  upon  this  subject,  or  the 
resurrection  of  a  spiritual  body  immediately  after  death,  yet  it 
should  be  observed  that  reason  favors  this  idea.  At  any  rate  it 
does  not  urge  any  thing  against  it,  as  it  does  against  the  Old  doc- 
trine. 

But  it  is  said  by  some,  "  We  believe  in  a  resurrection  of  the  ma- 
terial body,  because  the  Sacred  Scripture  teaches  it,  although  the 
doctrine  is  embarrassed  with  many  difficulties,  and  certainly 
does  apjtear  contrary  to  divine  order,  contrary  to  reason,  and 
impossible."  Now  if  the  premises  here  assumed  were  true,  then 
the  argument  might  be  admitted  as  quite  conclusive.  But  it  is  easy 
to  show  that  the  Sacred  Scriplure,  rightly  understood,  does  not 
teach  a  resurrection  of  the  natural  but  of  the  spiritual  body.  We 
appeal  therefore  to  the  only  infallible  witness  in  such  a  case  —  the 
Word  of  God. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  thought  that  the  term  resurrection,  and  the 
expression  ''he  shall  rise  again,''  which  occur  in  the  Scripture, 
must  necessarily  signify  the  revivification  of  something  which  has 
died,  or  has  had  its  hfe  suspended  :  and  since  neither  death,  nor  a 


-suspension  of  life  can  be  predicated  of  the  soul,  therefore  it  must 
be  the  body  which  is  to  rise  again.     But  this  is  not  a  necessary  in- 
ference from  the  language  employed,  as  may  be  seen  if  we  reflect 
upon  the  sense  in  which  the  word  again  is  used  in  other  places. 
For  example  :  in  the  gospel  of  John,  the  Lord  says  to  Nicodemus, 
''Except a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.'' 
Now  although  the  words  bom  again  are  here  used,  no   one  under- 
stands them  in  the  sense  that  the  Jewish  ruler  did,  as  denoting  ac- 
tual re-birth  of  that  which  has  already  been  born  once  ;  but  rather 
man's  entrance  into  a  new  spiritual  state,  wherein  he  has  never 
been  before.     If,  therefore,  to  be  born  again  signifies  a  new  spiritual 
birth,  and  not  a  repetition  of  the  natural,  then  we  should  suppose 
that  to  rise  again  must  mean  a  new  spiritual  resurrection  ;  —  not 
the  reanimation  of  the  natural  body,  but  the  rising  of  the  spiritual 
body,  or  its  entrance  into  the  spiritual  world. 

In  appealing  to  the  authority  of  Scripture  upon  this  subject,  we 
will  first  notice  a  few  of  the  texts  which  are  commonly  brouglit 
forward  to  prove  a  resurrection  of  the  material  body.     Perhaps  no 
passage  is  more  frequently  cited  in  support  of  the  prevailing  doc- 
trine than  this  in  Job  :  ''  And  though  after  my  skin,  worms  destroy 
this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God  ;  whom  I  shall  see  for 
myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another."     (  xix.  26, 
27.)     It  might  be  sufficient  to  say  in  reference  to  this,  and  all  the 
other  passages   in   the  Old  Testament   Scripture,  which    appear 
to  have  relation  to  the  subject,  that  they  cannot  be  understood  as 
teaching  explicitly  the  doctrine  of  a  resurrection,  either  of  the  natu- 
ral or  of  the  spiritual  body  ;  else  the  words  of  the  Apostle  canuDt 
be  true,  which  declare  that  '*  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  brought  life 
and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gospel."     (2  Tim.  i.  10.) 
Certainly  this  could  not  be  said,  if  the  doctrine  concerning  a  resur- 
rection and  man's  immortality,  had  been  clearly  taught  in  the  Old 
Testament. 

But  in  respect  to  this  passage  in  Job,  it  is  to  be  remarked  in  the 
first  place,  that  neither  woi-ms  nor  body  are  to  be  found  here  in  th.e 
original  Hebrew.  Any  one  may  know  this  who  looks  carefully  at  the 
English  version;  for  he  will  see  that  both  these  words  are  italicise  J, 
to  denote  that  they  have  been  supplied  by  the  translator.  It  ap- 
pears from  the  context  that  Job  was  greatly  afflicted  —that  those 
whom  he  had  loved  had  turned  against  him,  and  moreover  that  he 
was  oppressed  with  severe    bodily  sufferings:    so  that    he  says, 

**  the  hand  of  God  hath  touched  me."     But  notwithstanding  hi^ 

22  ^ 


258 


THE   RESURRECTION. 


afflictions,  he  expresses  his  full  confidence  that  he  shall  be  deliv- 
ered from  them  all,  through  the  timely  interposition  of  the  Divine 
Providence.  Without  going  into  a  critical  examination  of  this 
passage,  we  will  merely  give  in  paraphrase  what  is  believed  to  be 
its  true  meaning. 

Job  declares,  that,  although  he  was  forgotten  and  abhorred  even 
by  his  friends,  and  although  his  skin  was  corrupted  and  his  body 
consumed  by  wasting  disease,  he  is  nevertheless  assured,  that,  *'  in 
his  flesh,'*  i.  e.,  during  his  life  upon  earth,  he  shall  see  God  inter- 
pose for  his  deliverance.  Hence  he  says  (v.  25),  **  For  I  know 
that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  at  last  *  He  shall  stand  in  the 
field,"  i.  e.,  shall  appear  as  my  victorious  deliverer.  That  this  is 
the  true  meaning  of  the  passage,  any  one  may  be  convinced  by 
tuniing  to  the  last  chapter,  where  we  read  that  **Job  answered 
the  Lord  and  said,  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear : 
but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee.**  [v.  1,  5.)  Thus  in  chapter  xix.  he 
expresses  his  confidence  that  he  should  see  God  in  liis  flesh,  and 
with  his  own  eyes  ;  and  in  the  last  chapter,  after  the  Lord  had  **ac- 
ceptedhim"  and  "turned  his  captivity,"  he  says,  **Now  mine 
eye  €eeth  thee."  No  one,  I  presume,  will  affirm  that  Job  says  this 
after  the  death  and  resurrection  of  his  material  body  ;  for  it  is  said 
in  the  very  last  verse  of  this  book,  ''  So  Job  died,  being  old  and 
full  of  years."  Therefore  the  words  in  my  flesh,  which  occur  in 
chapter  xix.  must  mean  during  his  natural  life  upon  earth,  and  not, 
as  generally  beileved,  after  his  death  and  resurrection. 

This  view  of  the  passage  is  so  obviously  the  correct  one,  that 
some  of  the  strono^est  advocates  of  the  Old  doctrine  of  the  Resur- 
rection,  have  felt  constrained  to  give  up  this  text ;  and  to  admit 
that  it  has  no  reference  whatever  to  the  subject.  Thus  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Barnes,  a  writer  on  theology  who  is  deservedly  held  in  high 
repute,  says : 

"  So  far  as  I  can  see,  all  that  is  fairly  implied  in  the  passage,  when 
properly  interpreted,  is  fully  met  by  the  events  recorded  in  the  close 
of  the  book.  Such  an  interpretation  meets  the  exigency  of  the  case, 
accords  with  the  strain  of  the  argument  and  with  the  result,  and  is  the 
most  simple  and  natural  that  has  been  proposed.  These  considera- 
tions are  so  weighty  in  my  mind,  that  they  have  conducted  me  to  a 
conclusion,  contrary,  I  confess,  to  what  I  had  hoped  to  have  reached, 
that  this  passage  has  no  referrence  to  the  Messiah  and  the  doctrine  of  the 


•This  is  the  correct  translation  of  the  Hebrew  word  Ifini^  {aharon.) — {Set 
Gesenius^  Hebrew  Lexicon.) 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


259 


resurrection  .  .  .  And  though  this  is  an  exquisitely  beautiful  passage, 
and  piety  would  love  to  retain  the  belief  that  it  refers  to  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  yet  truth  is  to  be  preferred  to  indulgence  of  the  wishes 
and  desires  of  the  heart,  however  amiable  and  pious  ;  and  the  desire 
to  find  certain  doctrines  in  the  Bible  should  yield  to  what  we  are  con- 
strained to  believe  the  spirit  of  inspiration  actually  taught.  I  confess 
that  I  have  never  been  so  pained  at  any  conclusion  to  which  I  have 
come,  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Bible,  as  in  the  case  before  us.'"— 
Barnes'  Commentary  on  the  Book  of  Job. 

We  thank  Dr.  Barnes  for  this  frank  and  honest  confession; 
and  the  more  cordially,  because  the  conclusion  confessed  is  one  to 
which  he  had  arrived  with  so  much  reluctance.  Other  late  and 
eminent  writers  on  theology,  who,  with  Dr.  Barnes,  strenuously 
adhere  to  the  Old  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  have  felt  constrained 
with  him  to  give  up  this  passage  in  Job  as  one  of  the  proof-texts 
of  that  doctrine.  (See  Knapp's  Lectures  on  Christian  Theology, 
Vol  %p.  613,  44.) 

There  is  another  passage  in  the  Old  Testament,  equally  inappli- 
cable however,  which  is  frequently  adduced  to  prove  a  general 
judgTnent  day,  and  the  resurrection  of  the  material  body.  The 
passage  occurs  in  Daniel  xii.  2,  and  reads  thus :  ''And  many  of 
them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  ever- 
lasting life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  Many 
have  concluded  from  these  words  that  the  material  body  must  cer- 
tainly rise  again,  because  it  can  be  said  of  that  only,  and  not  of 
the  soul,  that  it  ''  sleeps  in  the  dust  of  the  earth." 

But  this  inference  has  been  drawn  by  those  who  have  not  un- 
derstood the  Science  of  Correspondences,  and  who  have,  therefore, 
altogether  mistaken  the  meaning  of  the  language  here  employed. 
In  the  language  of  correspondence,  according  to  which  the  Sacred 
Scripture  is  written,  to  sleep,  and  to  sleep  in  the  dust,  signifies  to  be 
in  a  merely  natural  and  even  sensual  state  of  mind.  Consequently 
to  awake  from  this  state  to  everlasting  life,  is  to  be  elevated  into  a 
spiritual  state  of  mind,  which  is  to  enjoy  true  hfe  and  eternal  hap- 
piness. And  to  awake  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt,  is  to 
have  one's  mind  confirmed  in  falses  and  evils,  or  to  pass  into  an 
infernal  state  as  to  the  affections  and  thoughts,  which  state  is  ac- 
companied with  internal  disquiet  and  misery. 

Now  that  such  is  the  meaning  of.  this  language,  appears  plain 
from  other  passages  in  the  Word,  where  similar  lanoruaore  occurs, 
lo  mstance  only  one  or  two  :  *'  Shake  thyself  from  the  dust;  arise, 


260 


THE   RESURRECTION. 


and  sit  down,  0  Jerusalem."     (Is.  lii.  2.)     No  one  can  suppose 
that  this  language   refers  to  a  resurrection  of  the  bodies  of  the 
Jewish  people  from  the  hteral  dust.     Yet  we  ought  so  to  under- 
stand it,  if  we  interpret  literally  this  passage  in  Daniel.     Again : 
"Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  the  dust.''     (Is.  xxvi.'^ig.) 
The  Apostle  also  says  :  ''Awake  thou  that  sleepest  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light"  (  Eph.  v.   14  )  ;  which 
words  are  but  a  paraphrase  of  the  prophet's  language.     Certainly 
the  Apostle  cannot  be  here  understood  as  addressing  the  dead  bodies 
of  men  ;  for  these  could  not  hear  ;  and  even  if  they  could,  to  what 
purpose  would  such  a  command  be,  if  they  could  not  rise  until  the 
day  of  judgment  ?     But  he  is  evidently  addressing  natural  men, 
whose  bodies  are  alive,  but  whose  souls  are  in  a  state  denoted  by 
sleeping  in  the  dust  ^  who  are  spiritually  dead.     The  same  Apostle 
again  says  :  "  that  now  it  is  high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep  ;  for 
now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than  when  we  believed."     (Rom.  xiii, 
11.)     That  these  words  are  an  exhortation  to  Christian  vigilance! 
thus  to  greater  spiritual  wakefulness,  is  evident  from  the  verse  that 
immediately  follows :    *'  The  night  is  far  spent,  the  day  is  at  hand  : 
let  us,  therefore,  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness,  and  let  us  put  on 
the  armor  of  light.     Let  us  walk  honestly,  as  in  the  day." 

Moreover,  we  observe  that  it  is  said  in  the  passage  from  Daniel, 
that  "  wa/zy  of  them  that  sleep  shall  awake,"  <fec.  Mani/  of  them 
must  certainly  except  some.  It  cannot  mean  all.  Therefore  if  this 
passage  be  understood  as  referring  to  a  general  judgment  day,  and 
a  resurrection  of  the  material  bodies  of  men  at  that  time,  we  must 
infer  from  it  that  all  will  not  rise  again  —  a  doctrine,  indeed,  which 
some  expositors  have  deduced  from  it. 

I  proceed  next  to  notice  a  few  passages  in  the  New  Testament, 
which  have  been  thought  to  favor  the  doctrine  of  a  general  judg- 
ment day,  and  the  resurrection  of  the  material  body.  One  of 
these  occurs  in  Matt.  v.  29,  30  :  **And  if  thy  right  eye  offend  thee, 
pluck  it  out  and  cast  it  from  thee  :  it  is  profitable  for  thee  that  one 
of  thy  members  should  perish,  and  not  that  thy  whole  body  should 
be  cast  into  hell.  And  if  thy  right  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off. 
and  cast  it  from  thee  :  for  it  is  profitable  for  thee  that  one  of  thy 
members  should  perish,  and  not  that  thy  whole  body  should  be 
cast  into  hell."  Mention  is  here  made,  it  is  said,  of  the  whole 
body  being  cast  into  hell.  But  if  we  are  to  understand  it  in  its  lit- 
eral sense,  that  is,  as  denoting  the  material  body,  then  we  must 
also  understand  literalhj  what  is  said  of  the  right  eye  and  the  right 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


261 


hand.  And  are  we  to  believe  that  literally  plucking  out  a  right 
eye,  or  cutting  off  a  right  hand,  can  facilitate  any  one's  admission 
into  heaven  ?  And  that  some  actually  go  to  heaven  maimed,  halt, 
and  with  only  one  eye,  as  would  appear  from  the  parallel  passage  in 
Mark  ( ix.  43,  45,  47)?  For  this  is  the  conclusion  to  which  Ve  are 
brought,  if  we  interpret  this  Scripture  in  its  strictly  literal  sense,  and 
understand  the  whole  body  to  mean  the  material  body. 

No  :  The  whole  body  means  the  whole  man  —  the  real,  spir- 
itual man.  The  offending  eye  and  hand  here  mentioned,  denote 
certain  perverse  propensities  of  the  human  mind,  which  govern  the 
whole  man.  Consequently,  unless  these  propensities  be  rejected  or 
subdued,  (which  is  what  is  meant  hy  plucking  out  the  eye  and  cut- 
ting of  the  hand)  the  whole  mind,  that  is,  the  entire  and  real  man, 
is  finally  brought  into  an  infernal  state.  This  is  what  is  meant  by 
the  whole  body  being  cast  into  hell. 

Again  :  We  read  in  the  gospel  of  John,  ''  Marvel  not  at  this  : 
for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall 
hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth  ;  they  that  have  done  good 
unto  the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil  unto 
the  resurrection  of  condemnation."  (v.  28,  29.)  This  text  has 
been  thought  to  prove  a  resurrection  of  the  material  body,  because 
it  is  said  that  they  '*  shall  come  forth  from  the  graves  ;"  and  only 
the  body  can  be  in  the  grave.  That  the  passage,  however,  is  mis- 
understood and  misapplied,  when  cited  to  prove  such  a  doctrine,  is 
plain  from  the  preceding  verse,  where  the  Lord  says,  "  Verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  the  hour  is  coming  and  now  is,  when  the 
dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that  hear 
shall  live."  Every  one  may  see  from  this,  that  '*  the  dead  "  here 
spoken  of,  and  "  all  that  are  in  the  graves,"  cannot  mean  the  dead 
bodies  of  men  ;  for  it  is  declared  that  the  hour  in  which  all  this 
should  take  place,  teas  then.  Those  who  hold  that  the  material 
body  is  to  rise  again,  do  not  believe  that  the  general  resurrection 
is  already  past.  Indeed  this  could  not  he,  inasmuch  as  there  are 
men  yet  living  who  could  have  had  no  part  in  it. 

But  the  Lord  spake  here,  as  in  every  other  instance,  accordinf^ 
to  correspondences.  His  language,  therefore,  has  a  spiritual  im- 
port, and  its  meaning  is  sufficiently  obvious  from  verse  24,  which 
introduces  the  subject :  *' Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that 
heareth  my  Word,  and  believeth  on  Him  that  sent  me,  hath  ever- 
lasting life ;  and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is  passed 
from  death  unto  life."     No  one  can  suppose  that  death  and  life  are 


262 


THE    RK8CRRKCTI0N. 


here  used  in  reference  to  the  natural  body.     What  is  here  said  i, 
clearly  predicated  of  the  mind  or  spirit  of  man.     Those  who  are 
in  a  merely  natural  state  -  who.  as  to  their  spirits,  are  entombed 
m  selfishness  and  sin.  are,  in  the  language  of  correspondence,  said 
to  he  dead,  m  their  graves,  &c.     Consequently,  to  pass  from  death 
unto  hfe,  must  mean  to  pass  from  a  merely  natural  into  a  spiritual 
state  of  mmd,  as  those  do  who  believe  on  the  Lord,  and  hear  and 
do  H,s  precepts      The  Lord  alone  is  Life,  and  the  only  source  of 
hfe  to  angels  and  men.     It  is  He  alone  who  can  raise  m  from  an 
infernal  into  a  heavenly  state,  and  who  gives  our  spirits  life  when 
we  enter  the  spiritual  world.     Hence  He  says  :  "  I  am  the  Resur- 
rection and  the  Life ;  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were 
dead,  yet  shall  he  live  :  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me 
shall  never  die."    (John  xi.  26,  26.)  And  again:  "If  a  man  keep 
my  saying,  he  shall  never  see  death."    (viii.  51.) 

It  is  manifest,  therefore,  that  the  doctrine  which  teaches  that 
the  material  body  is  to  rise  again,  finds  no  support  from  the  text 
above  cited  ;  since  not  dead  bodies  in  the  tombs,  but  those  who 
are  merely  natural  men  -  who  are  spiritually  dead  -  are  signified 
by     all  that  are  in  the  graves."     Graves  also  signify  the  exteriors 
ot  the  mind.     And  every  one,  when  he  passes  into  the  spiritual 
world,  puts  off  his  exteriors  and  passes  into  the  state  of  his  inte- 
riors     Thus  all  come  forth  frmn  their  graves.     The  Divine  Truth 
which  IS  what  IS  signified  by  "  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  Man  "  flows 
into  the  interiors  of  their  minds,  and  thereby  makes  manifest  the 
real  quality  of  their  inner  life.     If  that  life  be  good,  the  Truth 
pronounces  them  to  be  of  heaven  ;   but  if  evil,  it  condemns  them 
to  hell.     And  hence  it  is  said  that  "  they  who  have  done  good 
shall  come  forth  unto  the  resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they  that  have 
done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  condemnation."* 


By  going  forth  out  of  the  sepulchres,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  is  signified 
out  of  the  material  body,  which  first  tajces  place  with  every  ot  immSe,; 
after  death,  and  afterward  wheu  the  last  judgment  takes  p'ace;  fT,  .t  tt 

TotT"  "7-  Tr:t  '"^  ''^  '"'""•"  ""  "P-^"  '"  «"  with  Won  1^  wt 
not  accon^hshed  before;  when  they  whose  interiors  are  heavenly,  ise  imo 
hfe  but  they  whose  interiors  are  infernal,  rise  into  death,  which  s^^ild 
by  "  they  who  have  done  goods  shall  go  unto  the  resurrecti;n  of  If  buT  thej 
who  have  done  evils,  unto  the  resurrection  of  iudement  "     Tl,„  ,h  ^ 

by  going  forth  out  of  the  sepulchres  or  StZZ,  is  sUlm  ':;•:::;: 
from  these  words  of  the  prophet  Ezekiel  :  '  BMU  I  am  afto^Moln  1" 

and  I  u,Ul  br,ng  you  upon  the  land  ofUrael,  that  ye  may  i„o«  that  I  am  'jZal, 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


26^^ 


H 


i 


Thus  we  see,  that,  according  to  the  Kew  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection, this  text  is  easy  of  explanation  ;  while,  according  to  the 
Old  doctrine,  it  is  encumbered  with  many  and  great  difficulties. 

Again :  the  advocates  of  the  commonly  received  doctrine  often 
appeal  to  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord,  affirming  that  He  rose  with 
his  material  body.  And  that  such  is  the  apparent  truth  is  readily 
conceded.  But  we  can  hardly  conceive  it  possible  for  any  one  to 
believe  that  such  was  actually  the  case,  who  really  believes  in  the 
supreme  Divinity  of  our  Lord.  For  if  he  be  altogether  divine,  as 
the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church  teach,  and  as  many  in  the  Old 
Church  profess  to  beheve,  then  his  body  must  be  divine  :  —  He 
must  be  divine  even  as  to  his  flesh  and  bones.  But  this  idea  is 
manifestly  incompatible    with  the  belief  that  he   has  a  material 

body. 

In  considering  the  subject  of  our  Lord's  resurrection,  I  remark 
in  the  first  place,  that  it  proves  conclusively  the  general  doctrine 
of  a  resurrection  of  all  men.  And  if  it  be  maintained  that  it 
proves  something  more  than  this  —  proves  that  all  men  will  rise 
with  their  material  bodies,  because  it  appears  as  if  the  Lord  rose 
with  his,  it  may  be  argued  with  equal  plausibility,  that  it  also 
proves  that  all  men  will  rise  with  their  material  bodies  on  the  third 
day  after  their  death,  because  the  Lord  rose  on  the  third  day.* 


when  I  shall  have  opened  your  sepulchres^  and  shall  ham  caused  you  to  ascend 
out  of  your  sepulchres,  O  my  people,  and  I  shall  have  given  my  spirit  in  you 
that  ye  may  live,  and  1  shall  have  placed  you  upon  your  own  land.'  (xxxvii.  12, 14.) 
The  subject  here  treated  of,  is  concerning  the  dry  bones  seen  by  the  prophet 
upon  the  faces  of  the  valley,  upon  which  nerves  appeared  adduced  and 
flesh  came  upon  them,  and  they  were  covered  with  skin  ;  and  which,  after 
the  spirit  of  God  came  into  them,  revived,  and  stood  upon  their  feet.  That 
by  those  bones  is  understood  the  whole  house  of  Israel,  is  openly  declared 
in  these  words,  '  Son  of  Man,  these  bones  are  the  whole  house  of  Israel :  be- 
hold they  say,  Our  bones  are  dried  up,  our  hope  hath  perished,  we  are  cut 
off  for  our  parts.'  (v.  11.)  The  reason  of  the  house  of  Israel  being  likened 
to  dry  bones,  was,  because  they  were  in  falses  and  evils,  which  have  not  any 
life,  because  no  correspondence  with  heaven  as  to  nerves,  flesh  and  skin  ;  for 
by  bones  are  signified  truths  in  the  ultimate  of  order,  upon  which  spiritual 
truths  have  their  foundation  ;  but  dry  bones  signify  falses  derived  from  evil. 
Hence  it  may  appear  that  by  opening  the  sepulchres,  and  causing  the  people 
to  ascend  out  of  the  sepulchres,  is  signified  to  raise  up  out  of  falses  from  evil, 
thus  from  the  dead,  and  to  endow  with  truths  from  good,  thus  with  life, 
which  life  is  the  spirit  of  God,  from  which  they  revived  ;  this  therefore  is 
what  is  meant  by  causing  to  ascend  out  of  the  sepulchres. — Ap.  Ex.  n.  659. 

*  It  is  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church,  that  man  usually  rises  or 
revives  in  a  spiritual  body  on  the  third  day  after  the  heart  has  ceased  to  beat  ; 


I 


i-'64 


THE    RESURRECTIOxV. 


But  this  latter  conclusion  is  contradicted  by  well  known  facts.  Yet 
this  conclusion  is  drawn  just  as  legitimately  as  the  former.  We 
must  therefore  infer,  either  that  the  former  conclusion  is  not  fairly 
deduced,  or  else  the  premise,  that  the  Lord  rose  with  his  rnalerial 
oody,  is  not  true. 

But  there  are  circumstances  mentioned  in  the  history  of  that 
event,  which  prove  conclusively  that  the  Lord  did  not  rise  with  a 
material  body.     For  example  :  on  one  occasion  after  his  resurrec- 
tion, while  he  sat  at  meat  with  his  disciples,  it  is  recorded  that 
-their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  Him  :  and  He  vanished 
out  of  their  sight.-  (Luke  xxiv.  31.)     Now  what  kind  of  eyes  are 
those  here  ,spoken  of —  natural  or  spiritual  ?     For  this  is  a  ques- 
tion  of  primary  importance  in  the  discussion  of  this  subject.     And 
It  does  not  seem    to  be  a  very  difficult  question  to  settle.     For  if 
It  were  their  natural  eyes  which  are  here  said  to  have  been  opened 
then  we  are  obliged  to  conclude,  that  the  disciples  sat  down  and 
began  to  eat  wUh  their  eyes  shut  —  a  conclusion,  one  would  think 
sufficiently  absurd.  ' 

But  the  natural  eyes  are  able  to  see  natural  or  material  thino-s 
They  cannot  see  spiritual  things,  or  such  as  belong  to  the  splr- 
itual  world.  These  can  be  discerned  only  with  spiritual  eyes. 
If,  therefore,  the  Lord's  body  had  been  material  on  the  occasion 
just  referred  to,  it  is  manifest  that  the  disciples  could  have  seen 
Him  with  their  natural  eyes ;  and  that  it  was  not  with  these  but 
with  their  spiritual  eyes  that  they  saw  Him,  is  plain  from  its  beinc  . 
said  that  **  their  eyes  were  opened,  and  they  knew  him."  "^ 

From  what  we  are  taught  m  the  writings  of  the  Kew  Church 
concerning  man's  spiritual  senses,  it  would  appear  that  one^s  spir- 
itual eyes  might  be  opened  in  a  manner  so  gently  that  he  would 
not  know  It ;  and  thus  he  might  see  things  in  the  spiritual  world 
while  he  supposed  that  he  was  seeing  them  in  the  natural  world' 
The  opemng  of  his  spiritual  eyes  would  cause  somethincr  in  the 
spiritual  world   to  appear  before  his  view  ;    and  the  closing  of 
them  would  cause  the  same  thing  to  disappear.     Thus,  to""  the 
beholder,  it  would  appear  as  if  something  natural  presented  itself 
before  his  natural  vision,  and  then  suddenly  disappeared. 

Now  this  was  the  case  with  the  two  disciples.     Their  spiritual 

because  the  number  Mr^e  denotes  what  is  full  and  complete,  or  any  full  state 
Hence  the  Lord's  rising  on  the  third  day  was  a  thing  of  divine  order.     (See 
A>  /v.  n.  153.^ 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


26i; 


eyes  were  partially  opened  so  that  they  could  discern  the  Lord 
before  they  sat  at  meat :  ''  But  their  eyes  were  holden  that  they 
should  not  know  him."  (y.  16.)  At  supper  their  eyes  were  fully 
opened,  "and  they  knew  Him."  Suddenly  they  were  closed 
again,  and,  as  a  necessary  consequence,  **  He  vanished  out  of  their 
sight."  And  they  returned  to  Jerusalem,  and  while  they  dis- 
coursed with  the  other  disciples  concerning  what  had  happened 
(the  spiritual  eyes  of  them  all  being  opened),  "Jesus  himself  stood 
in  the  midst  of  them."  [v.  36.) 

It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  how  the  Lord  could  have  vanished  out 
of  their  sight,  and  then  appeared  in  their  midst  again  so  suddenly, 
if  it  was  his  material  body  which  they  saw.  But  according  to  the 
New  Church  view,  the  account  presents  no  difficulty.  Nor  is 
there,  according  to  this  view,  any  difficulty  presented  by  those 
other  instances  in  which  the  Lord  showed  himself  to  his  disciples 
after  his  resurrection  ;  as  where  it  is  said,  "  when  the  doors  were 
shut,  where  the  disciples  were  assembled  for  fear  of  the  Jews, 
Jesus  came  and  stood  in  the  midst."  (John  xx.  19.)  And  aoain  : 
"Jesus  came,  the  doors  being  shut,  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and 
said,  Peace  be  unto  you."  {v.  26.)  We  know  that  it  is  contrary 
to  all  the  known  laws  of  material  things,  that  the  Lord  should 
have  presented  Himself  in  the  midst  of  his  disciples  when  the 
doors  were  shut,  if  He  then  had  a  material  body.  We  therefore 
infer  that  his  body  was  not  material,  and  that  He  w^as  seen,  not 
with  the  natural  but  with  the  spiritual  eyes. 

But  it  is  asked,  What  then  became  of  his  material  body  ?     For 
it  was  not  found  in  the  sepulchre  on  the  third  day. 

What  becomes  of  men's  material  bodies  in  the  course  of  thou- 
sands of  years  ?  They  are  resolved  into  their  original  elements, 
and  are  dissipated.  They  return  to  the  dust.  This  is  accordinc'- 
to  order.  But  we  know  that  some  material  substances  are  much 
sooner  decomposed  and  dissipated  than  others.  Yet  we  do  7iot 
know  how  little  of  materiality  may  have  appertained  to  the  Lord's 
body  when  it  was  laid  in  the  sepulchre,  nor  how  long  it  would  take 
it  to  become  wholly  dissipated  according  to  the  laws  of  order. 
And  I  submit,  whether  there  may  not  have  been  so  little  of  ma- 
terial substance,  as  to  be  entirely  decomposed  in  three  days,  as 
easily  as  the  bodies  of  other  men  are  in  three  thousand  years,  and 
according  to  the  same  laws  of  order. 

This  view  appears  to  be  sustained  by  the  Sacred  Record  as  well 

as  by  the  writings  of  the  New  Church.     From  the  latter  we  learn 
23 


266 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


that  the  Lord  made  his  Human  Divine  to  the  very  uldmates even 

to  the  flesh  and  bones.  His  very  body  was  filled  to  fullness  with 
the  divine  substance.  Hence  at  the  hour  of  his  crucifixion,  there 
could  have  been,  appertaining  to  Him,  but  very  little  of  that  which 
belongs  tc  the  bodies  of  other  men.  And  the  flesh  and  bones  with 
which  He  in  his  Humanity  rose,  or  entered  the  spiritual  world, 
were  divine  and  substantial  (  not  material  )  in  a  degree  that  no 
other  man's  are  :  and  hence  He  says,  after  his  resurrection,  that 
"  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  have.'*  (  Luke 
xxiv.  39.)  Now,  even  if  it  were  admitted  that  the  Lord  rose  with  a 
material  body,  it  would  appear  from  this  text  that  men  do  not ; 
for  He  distinctly  declares  that  -'a  spirit  (  i.  e,,  the  spirits  of  ordi- 
nary men  )  hath  not  flesh  and  bones." 

The  orderly  descent  of  divine  principles,  according  to  Sweden- 
borg,  is  through  each  of  the  angelic  heavens  into°  the  world  of 
spirits,*  and  thus  to  men  on  earth.     And  the  orderly  ascent  of  all 
who  pass  into  the  highest  heavens  on  leaving  this  world,  is,  through 
the  world  of  spirits,  the  first  and  second  heavens,  and  thence  into 
the  third.     All  things  which  the  Lord  does,  must  be  done  accord- 
ing to  divine  order  ;  therefore  the  divine  principles  with  which  He 
filled  the  Human,  in  the  proceas  of  deification,  descended  accord- 
ing to  order ;  and  He  also  ascended  according  to  order  —  i.  e., 
through   the  worid  of  spirits,  and  thence  through    each  of  the 
heavens,  **up  far  above  all  heavens,  that  He  might  fill  all  thino-s.'' 
(Eph.  iv.  10.)  When  He  was  seen  by  the  disciples,  therefore,  after 
his  resurrection.  He  was  seen  in  the  worid  of  spirts.     He  had 
glorified  the  Human   as   to  the  natural  worid,  but  not  yet  fully 
as   to  the    spiritual   worid.      This  is  evident  from  his  words  to 
Mary  :  *'  Touch  me  not,  for  I  have  7iot  yet  ascended  to  my  Father  r 
(  John  XX.  17.)     He  had  put  off"  all  the  impurities  which  appertain 
to  men  on  earth  ;  but  there  were  impurities  of  a  more  subtle  and 
interior  nature,  such  as  appertain  even  to  angehc  spirits,  which  had 
not  yet  been  wholly  put  ofl'.     For  the  loves  of  the  best  of  the  an- 
gels  are  impure  in  comparison  with  the  Divine  Love.     *'  The  heav- 
ens," it  is  said,  "  are  not  clean  in  his  sight  "  (  Job  xv.  15  )  ;  and 
**He  chargeth  his  angels  with  folly."     (  iv.  18.)     In  glorifying 

*The   world  of  spirits,  according  to  our  author,  is  not  heaven,  nor  is  it 
hell,  but  is  a  middle  place  or  state  between  both.     Into  this,  every  man  first    ' 
comes  after  death,  and  thence,  according  as  his  life  has  been  in  the  world,  ho 
is  elevated  into  heaven,  or  cast  into  hell.      This  middle  state  is  what  is  me'ant 
by  "  the  great  gulf  "  in  Luke  xvi.  26.     {See  Htaven  and  Hell,  n.  421.) 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


267 


1^ 


the  Human,  therefore,  the  Lord  had  to  put  off  not  only  the  princi- 
ples of  life  which  appertain  to  men  and  devils,  but  also  those  which 
belong  to  the  angels.  He  had  not  only  to  fight  against  hell,  but 
against  heaven  also.  He  had  to  endure  temptations  even  from  the 
anijels. 

Accordingly  Swedenborg  says  : 

"  That  the  Lord  in  temptation  fought  at  length  with  the  angels  them- 
selves, yea,  with  the  whole  angelic  heaven,  is  an  arcanum  which  hath 
not  heretofore  been  discovered.  But  the  case  herein  is  this  ;  the  an- 
gels indeed  are  in  the  utmost  wisdom  and  intelligence,  but  they 
have  all  their  wisdom  and  intelligence  from  the  Lord's  divine  [  prin- 
ciple], and  from  themselves  or  their  proprium  they  have  nothing 
of  wisdom  and  intelligence  ;  so  far  therefore  as  they  are  princi- 
pled in  truths  and  goods  from  the  Lord's  divine  [  principle  ],  so  far 
they  are  wise  and  intelligent.  That  the  angels  have  nothing  of  wis- 
dom and  intelligence  from  themselves,  they  themselves  openly  confess; 
yea,  they  are  also  indignant  if  any  one  attributes  to  them  any  thing 
of  wisdom  and  intelligence,  for  they  know  and  perceive  that  this  would 
be  to  derogate  from  the  divine  [principle]  what  is  divine,  and  to  claim 
to  themselves  what  is  not  their  own,  thus  to  incur  the  crime  of  spiritual 
theft.  The  angels  also  say,  that  all  their  own  proprium  is  evil  and 
false,  as  well  what  they  have  received  hereditarily,  as  what  they  have 
contracted  by  actual  life  in  the  world  when  they  were  men  ;  and  that 
what  is  evil  and  false  is  not  separated  or  wiped  away  from  them,  and 
thereby  they  are  justified,  but  that  it  remains  with  them,  yet  that  they 
are  withheld  of  the  Lord  from  what  is  evil  and  false,  and  are  kept  (  or 
held  )  in  good  and  truth.  These  things  all  the  angels  confess,  nor  is 
any  one  admitted  into  heaven,  unless  he  knows  and  believes  these 
things  ;  for  otherwise  they  cannot  be  in  the  light  of  wisdom  and  in- 
telligence which  is  from  the  Lord,  consequently  not  in  good  and  truth; 
hence  also  it  may  be  known  in  what  manner  it  is  to  be  understood, 
that  heaven  is  not  pure  in  the  eyes  of  God,  as  in  Job,  chap.  xv.  15. 
This  being  the  case,  to  the  intent  that  the  Lord  might  restore  the 
universal  heaven  to  celestial  order,  He  even  admitted  into  himself  temp- 
tations from  the  angels,  who,  so  far  as  they  were  in  their  own  proprium, 
so  far  were  not  in  good  and  truth.  These  temptations  are  the  inmost 
of  all,  for  they  act  only  upon  ends,  and  with  such  subtlety  as  to  es- 
cape all  observation  :  but  so  far  as  they  are  not  in  their  own  proprium, 
so  far  they  are  in  good  and  truth,  and  so  far  incapable  of  tempting. 
Moreover  the  angels  are  continually  perfecting  by  the  Lord,  and  yet 
cannot  in  any  wise  be  perfected  to  eternity  to  such  a  degree  that  their 
wisdom  and  intelligence  may  admit  of  comparison  with  the  divine  wis- 
dom and  intelligence  of  the  Lord  ;  for  they  are  finite,  and  the  Lord  infi- 
nite, and  finite  admits  of  no  comparison  with  infinite." — A.  C.  n.  4295. 


268 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


Thus  we  see,  upon  careful  examination,  that  the  circumstances 
connected  with  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord  are  of  such  a  charac- 
ter, as  to  be  utterly  irreconcilable  with  the  idea  that  He  rose  with 
a  material  body.  But  according  to  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church 
they  all  admit  of  an  easy  explanation. 

There  are  some  other  texts*  often  cited  in  proof  of  the  resurrection 
of  the  material  body,  but  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  notice  them ; 
for  the  interpretation  which  has  been  given  of  the  passages 
already  cited  will  furnish  a  key  to  the  right  understandino-  of\ll 
the  rest.  ^ 

I  come  now  to  notice  a  few  passages  which  clearly  teach  the 
New  doctrine  of  the  resurrection ;  that  is,  the  doctrine  that  man 
rises  immediately  after  death,  not  m  a  material  but  in  a  spiritual 
body. 

Paul,  in  his  first  letter  to  the  Corinthian  Church  (chap,  xv.), 
endeavors  to   prove  the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection.     This  was 
evidently  the  design  of  the  Apostle  in  writing  this  chapter,  as 
appears  from  the  general  scope  of  the  argument  there  employed. 
But  he  says  not  a  word  about  the  resurrection  of  the  inaterial  body. 
On  the  contrary,  he  asserts  in  the  most  unequivocal  language,  that 
we  shall  not  rise  with  -  the  self-same  bodies  "  which  we  have  had 
in  this  world.     -  But  some,-  he  says,   -  will  say,  How  are  the 
dead  raised  up  ?     And  >vith  what  body  do  they  come  ?     Fool  ! 
That  which  thou  sowest  is  not  quickened,  except  it  die  :  And  that 
which  thou  sowest,  thou  sowest  not  that  body  that  shall  be,  but  bare 
grain,  it  may  chance   of  wheat  or  some  other  grain  :  but  God 
giveth  it  a  body  as  it  hath  pleased  him,  and  to  every  seed  his  own 
body.-  (xv.  35,  3G,  37.)  Here  the  Apostle  plainly  admits  that  the 
body  which  is  laid  in  the  grave  will  not  rise   aoain  ;  and  aroues 
that  man  will  have  a  new  body  —  evidentlv  meaning  a  spi/Uuol 
body  — suited    to  Lis  new  state  of  existence.     Else  where  is  the 
force  or  meaning  of  his  illustration  ?     For  he  suggests  that  the 
self-same  seed  that  is  sown  does  not  rise  again.     '*  Thou  sowest 
not,"  he  says,  ^Hhat  body  that  shall  ber     But  he  goes  further,  and 
applies  his  illustration,  when  he  says,  -  So  also  is  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead.     It  is  sown  in  corruption ;  it  is  raised  in  incorruption 
It  IS  sown  m  dishonor  ;   it  is  raised  in  glory.     It  is  sown  in  weak- 
ness ;  it  is  raised  in  power.   It  is  sown  a  natural  body  ;  it  is  raised 


*  For  a  critical  examination  of  tliese  texts,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Rev 
b.  Nohle's  *'  Appeal  in  behalf  of  the  Doctrines  of  the  New  Church." 


THE    RESURRECTION. 


269 


a  spiritual  body.'^     There  is  a  natural  body,  and  there  is  a  spiritual 
body:'     (xv.  42,  43,  44.) 

It  is  impossible  to  state  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  upon 
this  subject  more  explicitly  than  the  Apostle  has  here  stated  it. 
But,  as  if  to  remove  entirely  from  the  minds  of  those  to  whom  he 
was  writing,  the  idea  that  the  doctrine  of  man's  resurrection  im- 
plies a  resurrection  of  the  material  body,  he  adds  in  the  verse  fol- 
lowing, ''  Now  this  I  say,  brethren,  that  fiesh  and  blood  cannot 
inherit  the  kmgdorn  of  God:* 

Again  :    this  Apostle,  in  his  second  letter  to  the  Corinthians, 
teaches  the  same  doctrine  in  somewhat  different  languaoe.    *'  For  we 
know,"  he  says,  "that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  be 
dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,   a  house  not  made  with 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."     (v.  1.)     Now  it  is  evident,  that, 
by  **our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle,"  the  Apostle  means  the 
natural  body  ;  and  consequently  by  *'  the  house  not  made  with 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens:'  he  must  mean  the  spiritual  body. 
And  that  he  believed  the  latter  house  was  to  be  entered  and 
enjoyed  as  soon  as  the  former  was  dissolved,  is  evident  from  the 
language  which  immediately  follows:      **  For  in  this,"  he  con- 
tinues, ''  we  groan,  earnestly  desiring  to  be  clothed  upon  with  our 
house  which  is  from  heaven  :    if  so  be  that  being  clothed  we  shall 
not  be  found  naked.     For  we  that  are  in  this  tabernacle  do  groan, 
being  burdened  ;  not  for  that  we  would  be  unclothed,  but  clothed 
upon,  that  mortality  might  be  swallowed  up  of  life."     And  ao-ain 
in  the  same  chapter  he  speaks  of  his  willingness  **  to  be  absent 
from  the  body,  and  to  be  present  with  the  Lord."     This  lanouao-e* 
appears  to  intimate  very  plainly,  that  man  will  rise  immediately 
after  death  in  a  spiritual  body  —  will  *' be  clothed  upon  with  his 
house  which  is  from  heaven."     And  we  do  not  well  see  how  it 
can  be  reconciled  with  the  notion  that  there  is  to  be  no  resurrec- 
tion except  of  the  material  body  at  some  far  distant  period. 

Again:  writing  to  the  Phillipians,  Paul  says  :  "  For  me  to  live 
is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain."  (i.  21.)  And  afterward  he  adds, 
*'For  I  am  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a  desire  to  depart  and 
be  with  Christ,  which  is  far  better:'  (v.  23.)  From  this  it  appears 
that  the  Apostle  believed  the  casting  off  of  his  material  coverino* 
would  immediately  bring  him  nearer  to  the  Saviour,  the  Source  of 


*  This  passage,  more  correctly  translated,  would  read,  ''a  natural  body  is 
sown  ;  a  spiritual  body  is  raised.'' 


?70 


THE  RESURRECTION. 


THE  RESURRECTION. 


271 


true  life  and  happiness.  And  can  any  one  suppose  that  he  thought 
the  putting  ot  again  uf  the  natural  body  would  improve  the  effect 
oi  putting  it  off,  and  bring  him  nearer  still  ?     The  idea  is  absurd. 

If  we  turn  now  to  the  Gospels,  we  shall  there  find  the  doctrine 
of  the  New  Church  upon  this  subject  taught  still  more  explicitly, 
and  that  of  the  Old  more  plainly  contradicted. 

When  the  Lord  was  transfigured  before  his  three  disciples,  it  is 
said  they  saw  Moses  and  Elias  talking  with  Him.  This  could  not 
have  been  the  case,  unless  they  had  appeared  as  real  men  in  bodily 
form.  And  that  it  was  the  spiritual  and  not  the  natural  bodies  of 
Moses  and  Elias,  which  the  disciples  saw,  is  evident  from  the  fact 
that  they  saw  them,  not  with  their  natural  but  with  their  spiritual 
eyes,  which  were  for  a  moment  opened  in  them ;  for  the  Lord 
himself  calls  ii  a  vmow ;  for  He  *' charged  them  [the  disciples], 
saying,  Tell  the  vision  to  no  man."  (Matt.  xvii.  9.)  The  natural 
eyes  see  only  natural  things.  But  a  vision  is  evidently  an  appear- 
ance of  something  within  or  above  nature,  and  consequently  not 
discernible  by  the  natural  eye.  Besides,  according  to  the  com- 
monly received  doctrine,  their  material  bodies  had  not  risen  ;  for 
the  resurrection  day  had  not  yet  come. 

Moses  and  Elias,  then,  have  been  seen  as  real  men,  with  spiritual 
bodies,  living  and  speaking,  long  after  their  removal  from  this 
natural  world,  and  long  before  the  general  resurrection,  according 
to  the  prevailing  belief  upon  this  subject. 

Again  :  on  one  occasion,  conversing  with  the  Sadducees  upon 
the  subject  of  the  resurrection,  who  believed  that  **  there  is  no 
Resurrection,  neither  angel,  nor  spirit'^  (Acts  xxiii.  8),  the  Lord 
says  :  ''But  as  touching  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  have  ye  not 
read  that  which  was  spoken  unto  you  by  God,  saying,  I  am  the 
God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  ? 
Ood  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living r  (Matt.  xxii. 
31,  32.)  Now  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  had  long  been  dead  as 
to  their  natural  bodies ;  yet  the  Lord  here  teaches  that  they  are 
still  living,  and  that  their  real  life  has  not  been  interrupted  or  sus- 
pended by  their  removal  to  the  other  world  :  nay,  more  —  that 
they  have  actually  risen  again  (in  their  spiritual  bodies,  of  course), 
for  we  observe  that  He  is  proving  to  the  unbelieving  Sadducees 
the  doctrine  of  the  resurrection ;  and  this  He  endeavors  to  do,  by 
showing  them  out  of  their  own  Scriptures,  that  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob  must  still  be  Hving  men. 

Thus  the  Lord  plainly  teaches  that  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob 


IN 


»i 


i 

I 


1 


have  already  risen ;  and  He  brings  them  forward  as  examples  to 
prove  the  general  doctrine  of  a  resurrection.  The  unavoidable 
inference,  therefore,  to  be  drawn  from  His  argument,  is,  that  the 
resurrection  of  all  men  will  be  of  a  nature  similar  to  that  which 
these  patriarchs  had  already  experienced  —  that  is,  immediately 
after  death. 

In  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  the  Lord  also 
teaches  that  man  rises  in  a  spiritual  and  substantial  body,  immedi- 
ately after  his  removal  from  the  natural  world.  For  He  there 
speaks  of  the  rich  man  as  suffering  extreme  torment,  while  Abra- 
ham and  Lazarus  are  perfectly  happy.  Mention  also  is  made  of 
Abraham's  bosom  —  of  Lazarus' //z^er  —  of  the  rich  man's  eyes 
and  tongue ;  and  they  are  likewise  spoken  of  as  conversing  with 
each  other,  like  men  in  this  world.  Thus  they  are  represented  as 
real,  living  persons,  possessing  all  the  organs  and  faculties  of  men. 
And  that  all  this  is  related  as  taking  place  soon  after  their  death, 
is  manifest  from  the  rich  man's  speaking  of  his  five  brethren,  who 
were  still  living  in  the  natural  world. 

Is  it  said  that  this  is  a  parable,  and  therefore  proves  nothino-  ? 
I  reply,  that  the  passage  is  none  the  less  pertinent  on  that  account ; 
nor  is  the  evidence  which  it  affords  upon  the  subject  of  our  inquiiy, 
at  all  invalidated  by  this  circumstance.     For  what  is  the  design  of 
the  parable  ?      What  instruction  was  it  given  to  communicate  ? 
Manifestly  this  —  that  all  men,  the  evil  as  well  as  the  good,  con- 
tinue to  live  after  the  death  of  the  natural  body  (of  course  it  must 
be  in  a  spiritual  body),  and  in  a  condition  of  life  corresponding  to 
the  internal  and  real  quality  of  their  affections  and  thoughts  :  that, 
immediately  on  man's  removal  from  this  world  by  death,  he  finds 
himself  still  living,  a  real  man  and  in  a  real  world,  with  his  capaci- 
ties both  of  enjoyment  and  of  suffering — according  as  the  quality 
of  his  life  may  be  good  or  evil  —  greatly  increased  :  and  that  thus 
a  particular  judgment  takes  place  with  every  one  as  soon  as  the 
body  dies.     And  if  there  is  to  be,  besides  this,  a  general  judg- 
ment,  when  men's  souls  will  be  reunited   to  their  natural  bodies 
which  have  been  rejected,  is  it  not  singularly  strange  that  there  is 
given  us,  neither  here  nor  elsewhere,  the  slightest  intimation  of  it  ? 
Again  :  the  Lord  clearly  teaches  that  man  rises  immediately  after 
death,  when  He  says  to  the  penitent  thief  who  was  crucified  with 
Him,  **  Verily  I  say  imto  thee,  to-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  par- 
adise."    (  Luke  xxiii.  43.)     Paradise  evidently  denotes  some  re- 
gion in  the  spiritual  world.     This  is  plain  from  Rev.  ii.  7,  where  it 


272 


BRIEF    VIEW    OF    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD. 


is  said,  '*  To  liim  that  overcometli  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of 
life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God.'*  Can  any 
thing,  then,  be  more  conclusive  than  this  emphatic  declaration  of 
our  Lord,  or  more  demonstrative  of  the  New  Church  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  ? 

John  also,  in  the  Revelation,  speaks  of  seeing  great  multitudes 
of  persons,  when  '*  a  door  was  opened  in  heaven/'  In  one  place 
he  says,  ''  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could 
number,  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues, 
stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white 
robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands."  (vii.  9.)  And  this  was  long 
before  the  general  resurrection,  according  to  the  prevailing  belief. 

We  thus  see  that  the  testimony  of  the  Bible  on  this  subject,  is 
unequivocally  in  favor  of  the  New  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  as 
revealed  through  Swedenborg. 

Having  now  shown,  both  from  reason  and  Scripture,  that 
man  rises  and  lives  in  a  real,  spiritual  body,  (and  of  course  in  a 
real,  spiritual  world,)  immediately  after  death,  I  proceed  next  to 
notice,  in  a  brief  and  general  way,  a  few  things  which  have  been 
revealed  for  the  use  of  the  New  Church,  concerninof  that  world 
which  man  enters  when  he  puts  off  the  natural  body.  My  limits 
will  not  permit  me  to  descend  to  particulars. 

It  was  stated  in  the  early  part  of  this  lecture,  that  according  to 
the  Avritings  of  the  New  Church,  the  spiritual  world  is  not  remote 
from  the  natural  as  to  space,  but  is  within  it  as  the  soul  is  within 
the  body.  In  that  world,  there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  which  are 
opposite  to  each  other  ;  and  a  world  of  spirits  in  the  middle  be- 
tween them,  which  is  what  is  signified  by  the  **  great  gulf  fixed" 
between  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus.  In  general  there  are  three 
heavens,  one  above  or  within  the  other,  corresponding  to  the  three 
senses  of  the  Word,  and  the  three  degrees  of  the  human  mind ; 
and  opposed  to  these  are  also  three  hells.  Yet  these  are  not  j^laces, 
(  for  space  cannot  properly  be  predicated  of  the  spiritual  world  ), 
but  they  are  collections  of  individuals,  who  are  in  opposite  princi- 
ples or  states  of  life.  Nevertheless,  they  appear  to  exist  in  space, 
which  appearance  is  according  to  their  state.  This  may  be  ren- 
dered intelligible  by  means  of  the  following  simple  illustration. 

Suppose  two  men,  who  are  in  very  different  states  of  mind — one 
of  an  angelic,  the  other  of  an  infernal  quality — are  together  in  the 
same  room.     As  seen  with  the  natural  eye,  and  as  spoken  of  ac- 


BRIEF   VIEW    OF   THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD. 


273 


< 


cording  to  natural  space,  they  are  near  together ;  but  spiritually 
viewed,  they  are  very  far  apart.  And  could  their  spiritual  eyes  be 
opened,  so  as  to  enable  them  to  discern  each  other's  spiritual  bod- 
ies, they  would  actually  appear  as  far  apart  as  they  are  in  respect 
to  the  state  of  their  minds  —  even  though  there  had  been  no  mo- 
tion of  their  bodies  through  space.  But  suppose  these  individuals 
were  to  dwell  together  for  several  years,  and  the  bad  man  should 
meanwhile  put  away  his  evils  and  become  heavenly  minded  like 
the  other,  then,  if  seen  with  the  spiritual  eye,  they  would  appear 
near  to  each  other  —  because  they  would  be  spiritually  near  —  al- 
though as  regards  natural  space,  they  might  be  no  nearer  than 
they  were  before.  Their  spiritual  nearness  has  been  effected  by  a 
great  change  in  the  mental  state  of  one  of  them  ;  and  if  the  spir- 
itual eyes  of  this  one  had  been  open  all  the  time  during  these  sev- 
eral years,  he  would  have  appeared  to  himself  to  be  journeying 
toward  the  other.  Hence  as  Swedenborg  says,  "  distances  in  the 
spiritual  world  are  from  no  other  origin  than  from  the  diflerence  of 
the  state  of  the  interiors  ;  thence,  in  the  heavens,  from  the  differ- 
ence of  the  states  of  love,  those  are  far  distant  who  differ  much, 
and  those  little  distant  who  diflfer  Httle.  Similarity  causes  them  to 
be  together." — E.  H.  n.  42. 

From  this  we  may  understand  what  is  meant  when  it  is  said 
that  actual  space  does  not  belong  to  the  spiritual  world,  while  yet 
there  is  an  appearance  of  space  corresponding  to  one's  state.  And 
we  may  also  comprehend  why  it  is,  as  the  writings  of  the  New 
Church  teach,  that  all  journeyings  or  apparent  changes  of  place  in 
the  spiritual  world,  are  effected  by  real  changes  in  the  state  of 
one's  mind  :  and  also  why  all  those  words  in  Scripture,  which,  in 
their  natural  sense,  refer  to  place  or  change  of  place,  in  their  spir- 
itual sense  denote  state  or  change  of  state.  For  example :  the 
Lord  says,  **  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden, 
and  I  will  give  you  rest."  The  word  come  naturally  signifies  a 
change  of  place.  Here  it  plainly  denotes  a  change  of  state ;  — 
such  a  change  as  takes  place  in  the  minds  of  those  who  become 
regenerated,  or  who  have  their  minds  brought  at-one  with  the 
Divine  Mind — who  thus  come  to  the  Lord  in  the  spiritual  sense. 

According  to  the  writings  of  the  New  Church,  the  two  opposite 
kingdoms  in  the  other  world  of  which  I  have  spoken — heaven  and 
hell — are  made  up  entirely  of  persons  who  have  once  lived  upon 
this  or  some  other  earth.  So  that  the  doctrine  concerninof  a  class 
of  beings  intermediate  between  man  and  God,  fallen  angels,  (fee, 


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is  to  be  regarded  as  a  fable  of  the  poets ;  which,  however,  the 
Church  has  confirmed,  through  a  misunderstanding  and  conse- 
quent misapphcation  of  Scripture. 

It  is  also  taught  in  these  writings,  that  both  heaven  and  hell 
are  composed  of  innumerable  societies,  corresponding  to  that  infi- 
nite variety  of  character  which  appertains  to  the  human  family. 
This  also  the  Lord  teaches  in  these  words  :  '*  In  my  Father's 
house  are  many  mansions  ;  if  not  I  would  have  told  you/'  And 
into  some  one  of  these  societies  every  individual  comes,  after  his 
removal  from  the  natural  world.  If  he  be  a  good  man — eter- 
nally as  well  as  ^artemally  good — one  whose  ruling  affections  are 
of  the  Lord  and  of  the  neighbor,  he  comes  into  such  a  heavenly 
society  as  corresponds  most  nearly,  in  its  general  character,  to  the 
peculiar  quality  of  his  own  life's  love,  because  there  he  will  be 
most  happy.  But  if  he  be  a  bad  man,  or  one  whose  rulintr  aflfec- 
tions  are  of  self  and  the  world,  he  comes  into  some  one  of  the 
infernal  societies,  which  is  in  nearest  correspondence  with  his  own 
state  of  life,  because  there  he  will  be  most  happy  or  most  at  home. 
For  it  is  a  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  that  the  Lord,  because  He 
is  Love  itself  and  Mercy  itself,  endeavors  to  make,  and  does  make, 
every  one,  even  the  devils  in  hell,  as  happy  as  He  possibly  can 
make  them. 

This  arrangement  of  all  in  the  spiritual  world  into  societies,  is 
strictly  according  to  divine  order.  There  is  nothing  arbitrary  in 
their  association.  They  come  together  according  to  a  law  of  spir- 
itual attraction,  which  is  as  fixed  as  the  law  by  which  natural 
substances,  having  an  affinity  for  each  other,  enter  into  a  chemical 
combination.  Each  one,  of  his  own  free  choice,  selects  the  society 
which  he  prefers,  and  he  prefers  that  which  is  nearest  in  agree- 
ment with  his  own  state  of  life. 

Swedenborg  says  :  "  In  heaven  like  ones  are,  as  if  of  themselves, 
carried  to  like  ones  ,  for  they  are,  with  their  like,  as  with  their  own, 
and  as  at  home  ;  but  with  others  as  with  strangers,  and  as  abroad. 
When  they  are  with  their  like,  they  are  also  in  their  freedom,  and 
thence  in  every  delight  of  life.  All  who  are  in  similar  good  also 
know  each  other— just  as  men  in  the  world  know  their  kindred,  their 
relations,  and  their  friends — although  they  never  before  saw  them;  the 
reason  is,  because  in  the  other  life  there  are  no  other  kindreds,  rela- 
tionships, and  friendships,  than  spiritual  ones,  thus  those  which  are  of 
love  and  faith."— /T.  H.  n.  44,  46. 

Every  devil  is  also  much  happier  in  his  own  infernal  society, 
than  he  would  be  in  a  society  of  angels.     And  were  he  placed  in 


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275 


! 


a  heavenly  society,  he  would  withdraw  from  it  of  his  own  free 
choice  ;  for  the  heat  of  heaven,  which  is  heavenly  love,  is  extreme 
torment  to  infernal  spirits. — [See  H,  H.  n.  518.) 

This  doctrine  is  perfectly  rational.  We  see  it  illustrated  to  some 
extent  here  in  this  world.  Like  seeks  his  like  almost  everywhere. 
So  universally  is  this  the  case,  that  the  saying,  **  Birds  of  a  feather 
flock  together,"  has  long  since  passed  into  a  proverb.  Here  is  a 
man  who  is  in  the  love  of  ministering  to  the  wants  of  the  indi- 
gent, of  relieving  the  distressed,  of  imparting  truth,  and  of  doing 
all  the  good  he  can  in  the  world.  This  is  the  delight  of  his  fife. 
And  does  not  such  a  man  instinctively,  as  it  were,  seek  the  society 
of  the  benevolent,  that  he  may  co-operate  with  them  in  their  phi- 
lanthropic enterprises  ?  While  on  the  other  hand  the  intemperate 
and  the  licentious  do  as  invariably  seek  the  society  of  those  of 
similar  character.  And  in  both  cases  the  association  is  formed, 
not  arbitrarily,  nor  by  any  foreign  constraint,  but  in  the  most 
perfect  freedom. 

This  principle,  therefore,  or  law  of  association  in  the  spiritual 
world,  is  really,  if  we  will  but  think  of  it,  an  observed  law  of  the 
spirits  of  men  while  living  in  the  natural  world  :  a  law  according 
to  which  men  would  uniformly  associate,  if  all  external  restraints 
were  removed,  and  they  were  left  in  entire  freedom. 

But  let  it  not  be  supposed,  that,  because  each  one  in  the  spir- 
itual world  chooses  his  own  society,  and  goes  where  he  can  be 
happiest,  therefore  the  devils  are  as  happy  as  the  angels.  On  the 
contrary,  there  is  as  wide  a  difference  in  this  respect,  as  there  is 
between  the  quality  of  their  ruling  afiections.  The  angels  obey 
all  the  laws  of  heavenly  order  (which  are  the  laws  of  God) — 
live  in  mutual  love  and  charity,  and  in  the  performance  of  all  good 
uses  from  a  free  principle^  because  they  love  to  live  so,  and  find 
therein  the  delight  of  their  life.  The  devils,  on  the  other  hand, 
live  in  no  mutual  love  or  charity,  but  in  mutual  hatred  ;  and  if 
they  perform  any  uses,  or  obey  any  laws  of  order,  they  do  it  from 
external  constraint,  as  from  fear  of  punishment,  and  not  from  af- 
fection or  a  free  internal  principle.  And  thus  it  is  a  source  of 
perpetual  misery  to  them,  to  be  restrained  from  doing  always 
what  their  infernal  love  or  hatred  prompts. 

We  have  a  complete  illustration  of  this  in  the  administration  of 
civil  government  upon  earth.  There  are  some  men  who  love  the 
laws,  and  therefore  obey  them  from  a  free  principle  —  from  gen- 
uine affection.     Such  persons  never  feel  the  laws  to  be  tyrannical 


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or  oppressive.  But  there  are  others  who  do  not  really  love  the 
laws,  and  who  will,  therefore,  violate  them  as  often  as  they  can  do 
so  with  impunity.  Such  persons  are  kept  in  a  state  of  order,  or 
civil  obedience,  not  by  any  free  internal  principle,  but  by  certain 
external  restraints,  such  as  the  fear  of  losing-  their  property,  or 
reputation,  or  of  being  otherwise  punished.  By  these,  therefore, 
the  laws  are  felt  as  tyrants  and  oppressors,  because  they  impose 
restraints  upon  their  infernal  freedom. 

Thus  we  see  that  the  government  both  of  heaven  and  hell  is 
perfectly  rational. 

With  regard  to  heaven,  the  writings  of  the  New  Church  teach 
us  that  it  is  not,  as  Christians  have  generally  supposed,  a  place  of 
inactivity  or  idleness  ;  but  a  state  of  pleasing  and  active  usefulness. 
Every  angel  lives  in  the  performance  of  the  very  use  for  which  he 
is  best  qualified,  and  which  he  takes  delight  in  performing,  not  for 
the  sake  of  himself,  but  for  the  good  of  his  neighbor.  But  the 
uses  are  all  spiritual,  yet  corresponding  to  natural  uses.  By  that 
rest  in  heaven,  which  is  promised  to  the  good  in  the  Word  of  God, 
is  not  meant  complete  inaction,  but  the  rest  which  arises  from  in- 
ternal peace  :  —  rest  from  those  spiritual  conflicts  with  falses  and 
evils,  whicli  all  have  to  encounter  in  becoming  regenerated. 

Swedenborg  says  : 

"  The  employments  in  the  heavens  cannot  be  enumerated,  for  they 
are  innumerable  and  likewise  various,  according  to  the  offices  of  the  soci- 
eties ;  for  every  society  performs  a  peculiar  office,  since,  as  the  societies 
are  distinct  accordinor  to  goods,  so  they  are  according  to  uses,  since 
goods,  with  all  in  the  heavens,  are  goods  in  act,  which  are  uses.  Every 
one  there  performs  use,  for  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord  is  a  kingdom  of 
uses."— /f.  //.  n.  387. 

And  after  mentioning  some  of  the  general  employments  of  the 
angels,  he  adds  : 

"  But  every  one  has  his  particular  charge  ;  for  every  general  use  is 
composed  of  innumerable  ones,  which^are  called  mediate,  administer- 
ing, subservient  uses  ;  all  and  each  are  co-ordinated  and  sub-ordinated 
according  to  divine  order,  and,  taken  together,  make  and  perfect  the 
general  use,  which  is  the  general  good. 

"  In  heaven  there  are  so  many  offices  and  so  many  administrations, 
and  also  so  many  employments,  that  they  cannot  be  enumerated  on 
account  of  their  abundance  ;  in  the  world  there  are  respectively  few. 
All,  how  many  soever  there  be,  are  in  the  delight  of  their  work,  and  labor 
from  the  love  of  use,  and  no  one  from  the  love  of  self  or  of  gain  ;  nor 


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277 


has  any  one  the  love  of  gain  on  account  of  life,  because  all  the  neces- 
saries of  life  are  given  to  them  gratiutously ;  they  are  housed  gratui^ 
tously,  they  are  clothed  gratuitously,  and  they  are  fed  gratuitously  : 
from  which  it  is  evident,  that  those  who  have  loved  themselves  and 
the  world  more  than  use,  have  not  any  lot  in  heaven  :  for  every  one's 
own  love  or  own  affection  remains  with  him  after  his  life  in  the  world, 
nor  is  it  extirpated  to  eternity. 

"  Every  one  in  heaven  is  in  his  work  according  to  correspondence, 
and  the  correspondence  is  not  with  the  work,  but  with  the  use  of  every 
work.  He  in  heaven,  who  is  in  an  employment  or  work  correspond- 
ing to  his  use,  is  in  a  state  of  life  altogether  similiar  to  that  in  which 
he  was  in  the  world  ;  for  what  is  spiritual  and  what  is  natural  act  in 
unity  by  correspondences;  yet  with  this  difference,  that  he  is  in  more 
interior  delight,  because  in  spiritual  life,  which  is  more  interior  life,  and 
hence  more  receptive  of  heavenly  blessedness." — H.  H.  n.  392,  '93,  '94. 

Such  is  the  organization  of  the  whole  angelic  heaven,  that  every 
individual,  and  every  society  there,  acts  in  union  with,  and  for  the 
good  of,  all  the  rest,  in  the  most  perfect  and  wonderful  manner. 
While  each  performs  uses  for  all  the  rest,  he  receives  in  return  the 
benefit  of  all  their  several  uses.     And  the  perfect  order,  subordina- 
tion,  mutual   co-operation,    and    unity  of   action,    which    prevail 
among  the  several  societies  there,  are  represented   by  the  order, 
mutual   co-operation,  (fee,  of  the    several   members,   organs,  and 
viscera  of  a  healthy  human  body,  to  which  indeed  the  angelic  so- 
cieties correspond.     And  this  agrees  with  what  the  Apostle  teaches, 
where  he  speaks  of  the  Church  as  being  ''  one  body  in  Christ,  and 
every  one  members  one  of  another.''     (  Rom.  xii.  5.)     Now  inas- 
much as  the  human  form  is  the  most  perfect  of  all  forms,  beino- 
the  form  of  the  Lord  himself,  therefore  it  expresses  the  most  per- 
fect idea  of  beautiful,  orderly,  and   harmonious  arrangement  of 
many  parts  into  a  complete  whole.     Hence  it  is  said  that  the  whole 
angelic  heaven  is  in  the  human  form  ;  and,  in  New  Church  phrase- 
ology, it  is  called  Maximus  Homo  —  the  Greatest  Man. 

"  Because  heaven  is  such,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  therefore  also  it  is 
ruled  by  the  Lord  as  one  man,  and  thence  as  one  ;  for  it  is  known,  that 
although  man  consists  of  an  innumerable  variety  of  things,  as  well  in 
the  whole  as  in  part  —  in  the  whole,  of  members,  organs,  viscera  —  in 
part,  of  series  of  fibers,  nerves,  and  blood-vessels  ;  thus  of  members 
within  members,  and  of  parts  within  parts;  yet  still,  when  he  acts,  acts  as 
one.   Such  also  is  heaven  under  the  auspices  and  guidance  of  the  Lord. 

"  That  so  many  various  things  in  man  act  as  one,  is  because  there 
is  not  any  thing  there  which  does  not  do  something  for  the  common 
weal,  and  perform  a  use.     The  whole  performs  use  to  its  parts,  and  the 


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parts  perform  use  to  the  whole,  for  the  whole  is  from  the  parts,  and  the 
parts  constitute  the  whole  ;  wherefore  they  provide  for  each  other, 
they  have  respect  to  each  other,  and  are  conjoined  in  such  a  form,  that 
all  and  each  of  the  things  refer  themselves  to  the  whole  and  its  good. 
Hence  it  is  that  they  act  as  one.  Similar  are  the  consociations  in  the 
heavens,  for  they  are  conjoined  there  according  to  uses  in  a  similar 
form  ;  wherefore  those  who  do  not  perform  use  to  the  whole,  are  cast 
out  of  heaven,  because  they  are  things  heterogeneous.  To  perform 
use,  is  to  will  well  to  others  for  the  sake  of  the  common  good  ;  and 
not  to  perform  use,  is  to  will  well  to  others,  not  for  the  sake  of  the 
common  good,  but  for  the  sake  of  themselves.  The  latter  are  those 
who  love  themselves  above  all  things  ;  but  the  former  are  those  who 
love  the  Lord  above  all  things.  Hence  it  is,  that  those  who  are  in 
heaven  act  as  one,  but  this  not  from  themselves,  but  from  the  Lord  ; 
for  they  regard  Him  as  the  only  one  from  whom  all  things  are,  and  his 
kingdom  as  the  whole,  which  is  to  be  regarded.  This  is  meant  by  the 
words  of  the  Lord,  '  Seek  ye  Jirst  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
eousness,  and  all  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. ^  (Matt.  vi.  33.)  To 
seek  his  righteousness,  is  to  seek  his  good.  Those  who  in  the 
world  love  the  good  of  their  country  more  than  their  own,  and  the 
good  of  their  neighbor  as  their  own,  are  those,  who,  in  the  other  life, 
love  and  seek  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord ;  for  there  the  kingdom  of  the 
Lord  is  in  the  place  of  their  country  ;  and  those  who  love  to  do  good 
to  others,  not  for  the  sake  of  themselves,  but  for  the  sake  of  good,  love 
the  neighbor  ;  for  there  good  is  the  neighbor.  All  those  who  are  such, 
are  in  the  Greatest  Man,  that  is,  heaven." — H.  H.  n.  63,  64. 

We  are  also  taught  that  hell  consists  of  innumerable  societies, 
the  same  as  heaven.  But  because  mutual  love  does  not  exist  there, 
but  mutual  hatred — because  the  principles  of  life  which  govern  in  the 
hells  are,  in  every  respect,  the  opposite  of  those  which  rule  in  the  heav- 
ens, therefore  each  devil,  when  seen  in  the  light  of  heaven,  appears 
not  in  the  human  but  in  a  monstrous  form.  Hence  it  is  said  that 
the  hells,  in  one  complex,  appear  before  the  Lord  as  a  man-monster. 

"All  spirits  in  the  hells,"  says  Swedenborg,  "  when  inspected  in 
any  light  of  heaven,  appear  in  the  form  of  their  own  evil ;  for  every 
one  is  an  effigy  of  his  own  evil,  inasmuch  as  with  every  one  the  inte- 
riors and  exteriors  act  in  unity,  and  the  interiors  present  themselves 
visible  in  the  exteriors,  which  are  the  face,  the  body,  the  speech,  and 
the  gestures.  Thus  their  quality  is  recognized  as  soon  as  they  are 
seen.  In  general,  they  are  forms  of  contempt  for  others,  of  menaces 
against  those  who  do  not  pay  them  respect ;  they  are  forms  of  hatreds 
of  various  kinds,  also  of  various  kinds  of  revenge  ;  outrage  and  cruelty 
from  their  interiors  are  transparent  through  those  forms  ;  but  when 
others   commend,  venerate,  and  worship  them,  their  faces  are  cou- 


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279 


tracted,  and  have  an  appearance  of  gladness  grounded  in  delight      It 
IS  impossible  to  describe  in  a  few  words  all  those  forms,  such'as  thev 
appear,  for  one  is  not  like  to  another  ;  only  between  those  who  are  in 
similar  evil,  and  thence  in  a  similar  infernal  society,  there  is  a  general 
similitude,  by  virtue  of  which,  as  from  a  plane  of  derivation,  the  faces 
of  each  appear  there  to  have  a  kind  of  likeness.     In  general,  their 
faces  are  direful,  and  void  of  life,  like  carcasses  ;  in   some  they  are 
black,  in  some  fiery  like  little  torches,  in  some  disfigured  with  pimples 
warts,  and  ulcers;  in  several  no  face  appears,  but  in  its  stead  some-' 
thing  hairy  or  bony,  and  in  some,  teeth  only  are  exhibited.     Their 
bodies  also  are  monstrous  ;  and  their  speech  is  as  the  speech  of  ano-er 
or  of  hatred,  or  of  revenge  ;  for  every  one  speaks  from  his  own  falsity' 
and  the  tone  of  his  voice  is  from  his  own  evil  ;  in  a  word,  they  are  all 
images  of  their  own  hell.     It  has  not  been  given  me  to  see  what  is 
the  form  of  hell  itself  in  general  ;  it  was  only  told  me,  that  as  the 
universal  heaven  in  one  complex  constitutes  one  man,  so  the  universal 
hell  in  one  complex  constitutes  one  devil,  and  may  likewise  be  pre- 
sented in  the  effigy  of  one  devil.     It  is,  however,  to  be  noted,  that 
such  is  the  appearance  of  the  infernal  spirits  in  the  light  of  heaven  • 
whereas  amongst  themselves   they  appear  as  men,  w'hich  is  of  the 
Lord's  mercy,  lest  they  should  seem  as  filthy  one  amongst  another  as 
they  appear  before  the  angels  ;  but  that  appearance  is  a  fallacy,  for  as 
soon  as  any  ray  of  light  from  heaven  is  let  in,  their  human  forms  are 
turned  into  monstrous  forms,  such  as  they  are  in  themselves,  as  des- 
cribed above ;  for  in  the  light  of  heaven  everything  appears  as  it  is  in 
Itself."— if.  H.  n.  553. 

These  are  some  of  the  things  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  Kew 
Church,  concerning  societies  of  men  in  that  world  which  all  enter 
as  soon  as  they  leave  the  natural  body.     Every  man  enters  some 
society,  either  of  angels  or  of  devils,  according  to  the  quality  of 
his  life,  and  there  he  remains  to  eternity.     For  every  one  carries 
with   him  into  the  other  world  such  a   quality  of  life  as  he  had 
procured  to  himself  in  this :  thus  each  one  carries  with  him  his 
own  heaven  or  his  own  hell.     The  quality  of  every  one's  life  may 
be  known  from  his  ruling  love,  for  it  is  this  which  makes  his  life. 
It  is  this,  from  which  all  a  man's  subordinate  loves  derive   their 
quality.     If  one's  ruling  love  be  of  the  Lord  and  the  neighbor, 
and  he  live  in  the  performance  of  uses  from  this  love,  or  from  the 
love  of  use,  then  the  quality  of  his  life  is  good ;  and  when  he  is 
removed   to  the   spiritual  world  he  enters   some   angelic  society, 
which  is  in  a  similar  state  of  love  with  himself     But^if  his  ruling 
love  be  of  self  and  the  world,  and  whenever  he  performs  any  uses 
he  does  it,  not  from  the  love  of  use  but  from  the  love  of  self,  then 


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the  quality  of  his  hfe  is  evil ;  and  when  he  passes  into  the  other 
world  he  enters  some  infernal  society  whose  quality  of  life  is  in 
general  similar  to  his  own.     Swedenborg  says  : 

"  Heavenly  love  is  to  love  what  is  good,  sincere,  and  just,  because  it 
is  good,  sincere,  and  just,  and  to  act  accordingly  from  that  love  ; 
thence  they  have  the  life  of  what  is  good,  sincere,  and  just,  which  is 
heavenly  life.  Those  who  love  these  things  for  the  sake  of  them,  and 
do  them  or  live  them,  love  also  the  Lord  above  all  things,  because 
these  are  from  Him  ;  and  they  also  love  the  neighbor,  because  these 
are  the  neighbor  who  ought  to  be  loved.  But  corporeal  love  is  to  love 
what  is  good,  sincere,  and  just,  not  for  the  sake  of  them,  but  for  the 
sake  of  self,  because  to  secure  thereby  reputation,  honor,  and  gain  ; 
they  do  not  regard  the  Lord  and  their  neighbor  in  what  is  good,  sin- 
cere, and  just,  but  themselves  and  the  world,  and  feel  delight  in  fraud  ; 
and  what  is  good,  sincere,  and  just  from  fraud,  is  evil,  insincere,  and 
unjust,  which  latter  they  love  in  the  former.  Because  the  loves  thus 
determine  the  life  of  every  one,  therefore  all,  as  soon  as  they  come 
after  death  into  the  world  of  spirits,  are  explored  as  to  their  quality, 
and  are  attached  to  those  who  are  in  similar  love  —  those  who  are  in 
heavenly  love,  to  those  who  are  in  heaven  ;  and  those  who  are  in  cor- 
poreal love,  to  those  who  are  in  hell.  And  also,  after  having  passed 
through  the  first  and  second  state,  they  are  so  separated,  that  they  no 
longer  see  each  other  nor  know  each  other  ;  for  every  one  becomes 
his  own  love,  not  only  as  to  the  interiors  which  are  of  the  mind,  but 
also  as  to  the  exteriors  which  are  of  the  face,  the  body,  and  the  speech, 
for  every  one  becomes  an  effigy  of  his  own  love,  even  in  externals. 
Those  who  are  corporeal  loves  appear  gross,  obscure,  black,  and  de- 
formed ;  but  those  who  are  heavenly  loves  appear  fresh,  bright,  fair, 
and  beautiful.  They  are  also  altogether  dissimilar  as  to  their  minds 
and  thoughts  ;  those  who  are  heavenly  loves  are  also  intelligent  and 
wise,  but  those  who  are  corporeal  loves  are  stupid,  and  idiotic.  Those 
who  are  in  love  corporeal  cannot  in  any  wise  live  in  the  heat  of  heaven, 
for  the  heat  of  heaven  is  heavenly  love  ;  but  in  the  heat  of  hell, 
which  is  the  love  of  indulging  rage  against  others  who  do  not  favor 
themselves  ;  contempt  of  others,  enmity,  hatred,  revenge,  are  the 
delights  of  that  love  ;  and  when  they  are  in  those  deliglrts  they  are 
in  their  life,  not  at  all  knowing  what  it  is  to  do  good  to  others  from 
good  itself,  and  for  the  sake  of  good,  but  only  to  do  good  from  evil, 
and  for  the  sake  of  evil  Neither  can  those  who  are  in  corporeal  love 
breathe  in  heaven,  for  when  any  evil  spirit  is  brought  thither,  he  draws 
nis  breath  as  one  who  struggles  in  a  contest  ;  whereas  they  who  are 
in  heavenly  love  breathe  the  more  freely,  and  live  the  more  fully,  the 
more  interiorly  they  are  admitted  into  heaven.  From  these  things  it 
may  be  manifest,  that  heavenly  and  spiritual  love  is  heaven  with  man, 


BRIEF    VIEW   OF   THE    SPIRITUAL  WORLD.  281 

because  on  that  love  are  inscribed  all  things  of  heaven  ;  and  that  cor- 
poreal and  worldly  love,  without  heavenly  and  spiritual  love,  are  hell 
with  man,  because  on  those  loves  are  inscribed  all  things  of  hell 
Hence  It  is  evident,  that  he  who  is  in  heavenly  and  spiritual  love 
comes  into  heaven,  and  he  who  is  in  corporeal  and  worldly  love,  with- 
out heavenly  and  spiritual,  into  hell."— /T.  H.  n,  481. 

^  From  what  has  now  been  said  concerning  societies  in  the  spir- 
itual world,  it  will  be  seen  that  a  very  different  doctrine  is  taught 
m  the  writings  of  the  New  Church  from  what  is  found  in  those'of 
the  Old,  concerning  the  future  condition  of  the  wicked,  and  ths 
nature  of  their  punishment.  According  to  the  New  doctrines 
there  is  nothing  arbitrary,  either  in  the  punishment  of  the  wicked 
or  the  reward  of  the  good :  but,  agreeably  to  an  eternal  law  of 
uder,  goodness  is  its  own  reward,  and  sin  its  own  tormentor.  To 
^uote  again  the  language  of  Swedenborg : 

^  "  There  is  nothing  of  punishment  from  the  Lord,  hut  from  evil  itself- 
K)r  evil  IS  so  conjoined  with  its  own  punishment,  that  they  cannot  be 
separated  ;  for  the  infernal  crew  desire  and  love  nothing  more  than  to 
do  evil.  Hence  the  Lord  does  not  cast  any  one  down  into  hell  but 
every  one  casts  himself  down,  not  only  whilst  he  lives  in  the  world 
but  also  after  death,  when  he  comes  amongst  spirits.  The  spiritual 
heat  appertaining  to  man  is  the  heat  of  his  hfe,  because  in  its  essence 
It  is  love  ;  this  heat  is  what  is  meant  in  the  Word  hy  fire ;  love  to  the 
Lord  and  neighborly  love  being  meant  by  heavenly  fire,  and  self-love 
and  the  love  of  the  world  by  infernal  fire."-- -/6.  548,  '50,  '68. 

From  this  we  may  learn  what  is  signified  bv  the  lake  of  fire  and 
hnmstone,  into  which,  it  is  said,  the  Avicked  will  be  cast.     It  de- 
notes, in  general,  a  state  of  evil  lusts  and  false  persuasions,  into 
which  those  persons  cast  themselves,  who  willfully  reject  and  dis- 
obey the  Divine  Truth.     A  lake,  when  employed  in  a  good  sense 
as  when  a  lake  of  water  is  spoken  of,  denotes  an  abundance  of 
truth  ;  for  water  corresponds  to  truth.     But  when  used  in  an  op- 
opposite  sense,  as  in  the  present  instance,  it  denotes  what  is  opposite 
to  truth,  or  falses  in  abundance.     Fire  denotes  love,  either  good 
or  evil.     Here,  it  denotes  evil  love,  which  is  infernal  fire.     And 
because  such  love  is  conjoined  with  all  kinds  of  falses,  therefore 
the  state  of  one's  mind  in  which  it  dwells,  is  described,  in  corre- 
spondential  language,  by  a  lake  of  fire.     By  brimstone  is  denoted 
the  lust  of  evU  and  thence  of  falsity.     This  lake  is  sometimes  said 
to  burn  with  fire  and  brimstone,  to  denote  the  inflammatory  and 
consuming  character  of  all  evil  and  infernal  loves,  passions  and 
24 


282 


BRIEF   VIEW   OF    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD. 


lusts.  By  the  wicked  being  cast  into  this  lake,  as  is  sometimes 
said,  is  signified  that  men  cast  themselves  into  such  an  infernal 
state  of  mind  as  is  denoted  by  it,  through  a  voluntary  rejection 
and  disobedience  of  the  truth.  The  reason  why  they  are  said  to 
be  cast  into  this  lake,  as  if  it  were  done  by  the  Lord  in  an  arbi- 
trary manner,  is,  because  it  is  effected  through  the  operation  of  a 
law  of  divine  order.  For  it  is  an  eternal  law  of  order,  that  those 
who  reject  and  disobey  the  truth,  shall  fall  into  such  a  state  of 
mind  as  is  denoted  by  the  *'  lake  that  burneth  Avith  fire  and  brim- 
stone." 

Such  is  the  burning  lake  in  which  all  the  wicked  will  have  their 
part ; — into  which  are  cast  "  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet,"  and 
all  who  '*have  received  the  mark  of  the  beast  and  worshiped  his 
image."  **  And  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  forever 
and  ever;"  that  is,  evil  concupisences  and  the  pride  of  self- 
derived  intelligence,  which  is  darkness  when  compared  with  heav- 
enly light,  continually  proceed  from  the  tormenting  love  of  self, 
in  which  those  are  who  are  denoted  by  the  dragon,  the  beast,  and 
the  false  prophet,  as  natural  smoke  proceeds  from  the  tire. 


I  have  thus  presented  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Church  concern- 
ing the  resurrection,  together  with  a  brief  view  of  that  world 
which  every  man  enters  immediately  after  death.  Of  the  truth 
and  reasonableness  of  the  views  here  offered,  the  reader  must 
judge  for  himself.  But  before  he  allows  himself  to  pronounce  an 
unfavorable  verdict,  I  earnestly  entreat  him  to  procure  and  read 
with  attention,  the  entire  work  by  Swedenborg  on  Heaven  and 
Hell,  from  which  most  of  the  above  extracts  are  taken. 

Then  look  at  the  New  doctrine  of  the  resurrection  in  a  practical 
point  of  view,  and  contrast  it  with  the  Old  one  in  this  respect.  It 
brings  the  spiritual  world  and  the  day  of  judgment  very  near  to  us 
all.  It  teaches  us  that  the  spirit  of  man  is  the  man  himself,  en- 
dowed with  sensations  far  more  acute  than  any  that  can  be  im- 
parted to  flesh  and  blood  ;  and  that  his  state  of  final  happiness  or 
misery  is  not  to  be  deferred  to  some  indefinite,  and  perhaps  very 
remote  period,  but  that,  immediately  on  quitting  the  natural  world, 
he  rises  a  real  man,  and  enters  at  once  upon  his  reward  in  the 
spiritual  world.  And  when,  in  connection  with  this,  we  reflect  that 
there  is  nothing  arbitrary  either  in  the  rewards  or  punishments  of 
the  other  life — that  we  carry  with  us  our  own  heaven,  or  our  own 
hell — that  the  quahty  of  life  which  we  have  procured,  each   ont^ 


BRIEF    VIEW    OP    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  283 

for  himself  in  this  world,  or  the  nature  of  the  love  which  we  have 
permitted  to  rule  in  us,  wiU  remain  with  us  to  eternity  ^whata 
powerful  motive  is  here  presented  to  induce  men  to  cease  frlm 
evil  and  learn  to  do  well  '  —  to  inr^n^o  i\.       .      t  ^ 

whatsopvpr  f},.  T    Vr.V  ^^^"^  *^  ^^^^^^^  all  things 

wnatsoe\er  the  Lord  hath  commanded  *^ 

Verily,  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  practice  of  virtue  and 
the  discourasfement  of  vice   ran  \^c.  ^r.f^      a  \.  ^ 


LECTURE   XI. 


i 


BWEDENBORG's   intromission   into   the   spiritual  world — ITS   POS- 
SIBILITY  PROVED    FROM    THE    SCRIPTURE. 


"I  will  come  to  Visions  and  Revelations."— 2  Oor.  xii.  1. 

Writing  upon  the  subject  of  Swedenborg's  modes  of  perception, 
the  pious,  learned,  and  philosophic  Richer  says : 

'*At  the  word  *  Vision,'  science  is  disturbed,  faith  alarmed  ;  and 
the  mind,  without  examination,  appeals  to  ridicule  and  mockery. 
In  this  proscribed  word,  superstition,  fanaticism,  and  deception, 
meet.  One  sees  in  it  unequivocal  proof  of  a  disordered  brain ; 
another,  the  certain  influence  of  the  spirit  of  darkness ;  a  third, 
the  evidence  of  gross  and  ignorant  creduhty.  Memory  recalls 
what  one  has  read,  and  receives  these  visions  with  ihe  same  con- 
tempt we  have  been  accustomed  to  feel  for  those  of  ancient  story. 
If  history  has  wished  to  blast  the  reputation  of  any  religious  per- 
sonage, it  has  called  him  a  visionary.  Is  there  in  a  romance  a 
character  whose  delirious  opinions  the  author  would  condemn,  he 
makes  him  a  visionary.  It  is  a  word  which  everywhere  invites 
proscription,  contempt,  ridicule,  and  hatred.  The  infant,  whose 
reason  is  just  budding,  smiles  at  the  story  of  a  vision  ;  for  it  is  told 
him  along  with  the  fairy  tales,  to  which  no  one  is  expected  to  listen 
seriously.  And  while  uttering  this  word,  the  man  of  letters  smiles  ; 
for  if  he  spoke  it  seriously,  his  reputation  would  suffer. 

**  However  fearful  may  appear  such  a  coaUtion  of  enemies,  it  is 
nevertheless  certain,  that  truth  has  very  often  appeared  upon  the 
earth  under  discredited  terms.  The  Gospel  had  its  origin  in  the 
midst  of  a  people,  who  had  become  the  scorn  of  all  others.  Let 
us  venture  then  to  approach,  without  prejudice,  the  phenomena  of 
visions.  We  shall  find,  perhaps,,-  even  here,  materials  for  time 
science,  which  should  dread  no  investigation.  We  shall  undoubt- 
edly be  convinced,  that  enlightened  religion  has  nothing  to  fear 
from  the  results  of  this  study ;  we  shall  at  last  acquire  the  proof 
that  the  frivolity  which  jests  with  it,  as  with  an  arbitrary  thing, 
attacks  a  fact  which  demands  to  be  observed,  comprehended,  and 
appreciated.  Our  conscience  will  then  put  us  in  a  condition  to 
pass  a  definite  judgment  upon  this  subject,  instead  of  repeating, 
like  servile  echoes,  the  pleasantries  of  people  who  have  never  been 
(284) 


SWEDENBORG'S  INTROMISSION  INTO  THE  SPIRITUAL  WORLD.      286 

able  to  think  for  themselves,  or  who  have  not  had  light  or  strencrth 
enougi  to  struggle  against  an  error  which  had  become  dominant. 
^       We  will  begin,  then,  consistently  with  these  views,  to  consider 
m  this  celebrated  man,  the  visionary  in  good  faith. 

;'  In  truth,  it  is  as  a  seer  of  visions,  that  Swedenborg  asserted  his 
mission,  and   it  may  be  remarked  that  no  founder  of  religion  has 
spoken  in  the  name  of  reason  alone ;  he  has  spoken  as  an  or^an  of 
heaven,  with  which  he  has  claimed  to  be  in  communication      If 
reason  alone  had  been  appealed  to  in  aid  of  the  establishment  of 
forms  of  worship,  there  would  have  been  as  many,  without  doubt 
as  there  are  individuals  ;  for  each  man  has  his  own  manner  of  feel- 
ing and  conceiving  the  truth.     The  right  of  imposing  his  religious 
•    opinions  on  others,  belongs  to  no  one,  rationally  speaking  ;  but  if 
not  as  an  imperative  right,  at  least  as  a  demonstrative  ric^ht  it 
may  m  some  sort,  belong  to  certain  individuals  in  communication 
with  tlie  divme  power. 

"  What  appears,  at  the  first  view,  a  motive  for  rejecting  Sweden- 
borg, appears,  on  further  reflection,  rather  a  guarantee  of  the  mis- 
sion with  which  he  declares  himself  charged.  If  he  had  claimed 
to  be  chosen  m  order  to  establish  upon  the  earth  a  new  providen- 
tial kingdom  by  the  extent  of  his  reason,  the  excellence  of  his  un- 
derstanding, the  moral  superiority  of  all  his  faculties,  by  what  ri^ht 
would  his  intelligence  have  prevailed  over  that  of  others  ?  With  a 
claim  so  extraordinary,  he  should  necessarily,  in  order  to  be  re- 
ceived, assert  an  intercourse  equally  extraordinary  with  the  Divin- 
ity whose  agent  he  is. 

"  But  let  it  not  be  thought  that  I  demand  here  the  sacrifice  of  rea- 
son ;  It  seems  to  me.  on  the  contrary,  that  it  is  by  the  use  of  this 
faculty  alone,  that  I  can  assure  myself  that  anything  above  it  ex- 
ists, lo  expel  her  from  a  domain  which  is  hers,  is  not  the  way  to 
force  her  to  surrender  ;  she  will  revolt  against  this  tyrannical  act, 
and  wil  never  submit  to  what  one  would  attempt  to  impo.se  upon 
her.  If  you  present  to  her,  on  the  contrary,  something  inaccessi- 
ble to  our  senses,  those  instruments  which  have  been  given  us  to 
act  within  certain  limits,  she  will  soon  herself  acknowledge  her  in- 
sufficiency, and  her  laying  down  of  her  authority  will  b^  her  own 

ind'epen'^dent."'^  ""  "''  ^'^  ''''  ^^™  '''  ^^'  ^--'  ^^  ^"  h- 

decl'i"'/'  t  ^-  '""^  ^'""^  ''°''  ^^^  '^'^'"'  •'f  enlightened  men  has 
declared  itself  incompetent  for  the  explanation  of  certain  phenom- 
ena, which  do  not  enter  into  the  common   order  of  life  and  of 


286 


SWEDKNBOBO'S    ISTROMISSION 


thought.     There  is  beyond  the  science  of  sensation  a  science  of  man 
scarcely  known,  it  is  true,  but  yet  acknowledged  ;  it  is  that  whicli 
explains  dreams,  presentiments,  visions,  a  thousand  supernatural 
effects  attested  by  the  most  respectable  writers  in  all  times."— ^ee 
New  Jeruscdem  Magazim  for  Nov.,  1841,  p.  104. 

These  remarks  are  from  the  pen  of  an  able  French  writer  who 
possesses  a  good  heart,  extensive  learning,  and  one  of  the 'most 
emmently  clear  and  philosophic  minds  of  modem  times.  They  are 
cited  as  an  appropriate  introducUon  to  the  present  lecture. 

In  the  commencement  of  his  work  entitled  •'  The  Delio-hts  of 
Wisdom  concerning  Conjugial  Love,"  Swedenborg  says  :     " 

"  I  FORESEE  that  many  who  read  the  relations  immediately  followino- 
and  those  annexed  to  the  chapters,  will  believe  that  they  are  inven- 
tions of  the  imagination  ;  but  I  assert  in  truth  that  they  were  not 
invented,  but  truly  done  and  seen  ;  nor  seen  in  any  state  of  the  sleep- 
ing  mind,  but  in  full  wakefulness.  For  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  man- 
ifest himself  to  me,  and  to  send  me  to  teach  those  things  which  will 
belong  to  the  New  Church,  which  is  meant  by  the  New  Jemsakm  in 
the  Apocalypse  ;  for  which  purpose  He  has  opened  the  interiors  of 
my  mmd  and  spirit ;  whereby  it  has  been  given  me  to  be  in  the  spir- 
itual world  with  angels,  and  at  the  same  time  in  the  natural  world  with 
men,  and  this  now  for  twenty-five  years." 

In  another  of  his  works,  this  illumined  author  says : 
"  Since  the  Lord  cannot  manifest  Himself  in  person,  as  has  been 
Bhown  just  above,  and  yet  He  has  foretold  that  He  would  come  and 
establish  a  New  Church,  which  is  the  New  Jerusalem,  it  follows,  that 
He  IS  to  do  It  by  means  of  a  man,  who  is  able  not  only  to  receive  the 
doctrines  of  this  Church  with  his  understanding,  but  also  to  publish 
them  by  the  press.     That  the  Lord  has  manifested  Himself  before  me, 
his  servant,  and  sent  me  on  this  office,  and  that,  after  this.  He  opened 
the  sight  of  my  spirit,  and  thus  let  me  into  the  spiritual  world,  and 
gave  me   to  see  the  heavens  and  the  hells,  and  also  to  speak  with 
angels  and  spirits,  and  this  now  continually  for  many  years,  I  testify  in 
truth  ;  and  also  that,  from  the  first  day  of  that  call,  I  have  not  received 
any  thing  which  pertains  to  the  doctrines  of  that  church  from  any  an- 
gel, but  from  the  Lord  alone,  while  I  read  the  Word."— r.  C.  R.  n.  779. 
Such  is  the  language  in  which  the  especial  mission,  claimed  for 
the  Swedish  Seer,  as  a  divinely  appointed  instrument  in  revealin- 
the  truths  of  the  New  Dispensation,  is  asserted  by  the  Seer  him° 
self.     I  well  remember  how  wild  and  strange  these  assertions 
sounded  to  my  ears,  before  I  had  satisfied  myself,  by  an  impartial 


INTO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD. 


287 


and  thorough  examination  of  his  writings,  of  the  claims  ol  him 
who  makers  them.  And  I  am  not,  therefore,  surprised,  that 
others,  on  first  hearing  them,  should  say  in  their  heart,  if  not  with 
their  lips,    '  These  are  hard  sayings  :  who  can  hear  them  ?" 

The  present  is  a  faithless  age,  indeed.    Tell  Christians  that  there 
IS  a  spiritual  world,  more  real  and  substantial  than  this  world  of 
matter,  and  that  angels  are  real  men  with  spiritual  and  substantial 
bodies  and  with  all  the  human  faculties  and  organs  more  perfect 
than  those  which  belong  to  men  on  earth, -and  in  nine  cases  out 
of  ten  they  will  doubt  it  with  their  lips,  while  in  their  hearts  they 
deny  it  altogether.     Tell  them  that  man  has,  within  his  fleshly  cov- 
ering a  spiritual  and  imperishable  body,  in  whicii  he  rises  imme- 
diately after  death -that  this  body  is  endowed  with  spiritual 
senses,  and  that  these  senses  may  be  opened  by  the  Lord  wMe 
man  lives  upon  earth,  so  as  to  make  him  sensibly  acquainted  with 
the  tlnngs  of  the  spiritual  world,  and  that  they  actually  have  ben 
opened  at  such  times  and  for  such  purposes  as  the  Lord  in  his  wis- 
dom has  deemed  fit-  tell  this  to  professedly  religious  men,  and 
they  will  generally  receive  it  with  a  contemptuous  sneer      The 
bare  assertion  that  Swedenborg's  spiritual  senses  were  opened,  and 
that  he  really  saw  things  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  con^  erscd  with 
angels  and  spirits  as  man  with  man,  is  deemed,  by  most  people 
sufficient  of  itself  to  stamp  his  communications  with  extrava  Jncc 
and  folly.     It  ,s  but  a  few  weeks  since,  that  one  of  the  relbious 
journals     of  this  city,  stated  as  evidence  of  Swedenboro's  delu- 
sion  that  /..^.ro/m.rf  to  enjoy  open  intercourse  with  angels  and 
TTn  "^"i*'^,.^^^  «'^'^d  in  such  a  connection,  as  to  leave  no 
doubt  that  the  editor  meant  his  readers  to  infer,  that,  there/ore 
Swedenborg  s  writings  must  be  foolish,  and  the  doctrines  of  the 
JNew  Church  false. 

Such,  in  these  latter  times,  is  the  real  infidelity  in  the  minds  of 
professing  Christians -infidelity  in  the  heart's  core  of  the  prevail- 
ing church.  There  are  multitudes  in  Christendom  now,  like  the 
Sadducees  at  the  time  of  the  Lord's  first  advent,  who,  in  their 
hearts  "believe  that  there  is  no  resurrection,  neither  angel  nor 
spirit :  -  multitudes  who  deny  the  reality  of  a  spiritual  world,  and 
of  course  the  reality  of  all  spiritual  existences.  The  Church  is 
steeped  m  sensualism.  There  is  no  faith  in  spiritual  things.  And 
thus  IS  fulfilled  the  prediction  implied  in  this  interrogatory  of  our 


*  The  New- York  Evangelist. 


288 


swedenborg's  intromission 


Saviour,  ''When  the  Son  of  Man  cometh  shall  He  find  faith  on  the 
earth  ?*' 

Yet  when  we  consider  how  many  enthusiasts,  fanatics,  and  im- 
postors there  have  been  in  the  Church,  who  have  deluded  both 
themselves  and  others  with  their  pretended  revelations,  it  is  not  so 
much  to  be  wondered  at,  after  all,  that  the  very  idea  of  a  vision 
should  come  to  be  ridiculed  ;  and  that  whoever  professes  to  have 
had  one,  should,  therefore,  be  regarded  as  a  person  of  disordered 
intellect,  or  as  possessing  at  least  an  unduly  developed  organ  of 
marveloumess.     But,  certainly,  it  is  neither  wise  nor  just,  as  was 
remarked  m  a  previous  lecture,  to  conclude  from  the  many  pre- 
tended  revelations  which  men  have  had,  that  therefore  there  can  be 
no  true  ones  ;    nor,  because  there  have  been  impostors  and  lyin^ 
sprits  m  all  ages  of  the  Church,  that,  therefore,  there  can  be  no 
genuine  messengers  of   a  revelation  from   heaven.      Those  who 
would  draw  such  inferences  from  such  data,  are  not  aware  of  the 
extent  to  which  their  logic  would  lead  them.     For,  to  be  consistent, 
they  must  reject  the  Sacred  Scripture  itself  as  unworthy  of  credit-^ 
as  the  production,  indeed,  of  madmen  — because  herein  are  re- 
corded many  miracles  and  visions.     And  this  is  precisely  what 
the  infidel  has  done. 

No.     The  wiser,  and  far  more  philosophic  and  Christian  course 
to  pursue  in  these  days  of  imposture  and  delusion,  is,  to  -  believe 
not  every  spirit,   but  try  the  spirits  whether  they  be  of  God  " 
We  should  endeavor  to  -prove  all  things,''  that  we  may  the  more 
securely  -hold  fast  that  which  is  good."     And  since  we  -  know 
not  what  hour  the  Lord  doth  come"— since  we  know  not  when 
nor  where,  nor  how.  He  will  manifest  Himself  to  human  minds,  it 
becometh  us  to  do  as  he  commands —- Watch."     We  are  told 
that  -  there  shall  arise  false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  and  shall 
show  great  signs  and  wonders  ;  insomuch,  that  if  it  were  possible, 
they  shall  deceive  the  very  elect  "—  a  declaration  which  proves 
that  His  second  advent  is  not  to  be  u^on  the  natural  clouds,  but 
in  some  manner  that  may  be,  and  loill  be^  counterfeited.     This, 
while  it  plainly  teaches  that  we  ought  to  be  ever  on  our  guard 
against  imposture,  teaches  also,  as  plainly,  that  we  ought  not  to 
reject  indiscriminately  everything  which  pretends  to  be  a'^new  reve- 
lation.    Indeed,   the  declaration  itself  is  sufficient  evidence  that 
there  ivill  be  a  coming  of  the  tt-ue  Son  of  Man,     And  an  indis- 
criminate rejection  of  everything  which  claims  to  be  a  fulfillment 
of  the  predicted  second  advent,  would  evidently  lead  men  to  reject 


INTO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD. 


289 


Him  who  is  the  Truth  itself,  whenever  and  in  whatever  form  He 
might  appear.  -  Watch  therefore  ;  for  in  such  an  hour  as  ye 
think  not,  the  Son  of  Man  cometh." 

I  am  aware  that  Swedenborg's  alleged  intercourse  with  spirits 
and  angels,  and  the  Eelations  which  he  has  given  of  things  seen 
m  the  spiritual  world,  are  generally  regarded  as  the  most'  objec- 
tionable parts  of  his  writings.  Nor  is  it  strange  that,  in  this 
''faithless  and  perverse  generation,"  it  should  be  so.  His Memora- 
bUia  appear,  at  first,  like  the  dreams  of  superstition,  or  the  tales 
in  the  Arabian  Nights'  Entertainments. 

It  is  often  the  case  that  persons  who  have  become  fully  con- 
vinced  of  the  truth  of  all  the  rest  of  his  writings,  continue  for 
some  time  in  a  state  of  doubt  with  regard  to  the  Memorable  Rela- 
tions.    These  are  usually  the  last  things  that  are  fully  received 
and  rationally  understood,  and  are  great  stumbling-blocks  to  many 
sincere  inquirers.    This  being  the  case,  it  may  be  useful  to  show  — 
as  I  now  proceed  to  do  — not  only  ih^  ^possibility  of  Swedenborcr^s 
alleged  mtercourse  with  the  spiritual  world,  but  also  the  consis- 
tency and  rationality  of  the  disclosures  in  his  Memorable  Relations. 
When  rightly  viewed,  these  Relations,  so  far  from  invalidating  the 
force  of  the  rest  of  his  teachings,  help  to  confirm  their  truth  ; 
and,  at  the  same  time,  they  receive  from  the  obvious  truth  of  the 
other  parts,  ample  confirmation  of  their  own  verity. 

But  even  if  this  were  not  so  — even  if  the  Memorabilia  were 
admitted  as  evidence  of  Swedenborg's  insanity— this  would  in  no 
wise  affect  the  truth  of  other  parts  of  his  writings  ;  for  their  truth 
does  not  rest  upon  his  or  any  other  man's  testimony.     It  is  some- 
thing that  may  be  seen  in  its  own  liglit,  and  rests,  therefore,  upon 
Its  own  intrinsic  rationality  — its  agreement  with  nature,  reason, 
the  constitution  and  laws  of  the  human  soul,  and  with  the  Word  of 
God.     Truth,  which  is  susceptible  of  such  verification,  can  in  no 
wise  be  affected  by  the  sanity  or  insanity  of  him  who  utters  it.    A 
law  of  nature  which  we  are  able  to  verify  by  positive  experiment 
or  mathematical  demonstration,  is  not  at  all  dependent  on  the 
character  of  its   discoverer.     Its  demonstration  is  none  the  less 
possible,  nor  its  truth  the  less  certain,  though  the  man  who  first 
announced  it  may  have   been  a  fool  or  a  maniac.     And  the  same 

may  be  said  of  the  truths  revealed  m  the  theological  writino-s  of 
Swedenborrr.  ° 

But  the  goodness  of  Swedenborg's  heart,  the  purity  and  inno- 
cence of  hislife,  the  many  and  distinguished  honors  conferred  upon 


.%  »a 


290 


swedenborg's  intromission 


him,  and  the  clearness,  order,  depth,  and  soundness  of  his  under- 
standing,  according  to  the  testimony  of  those  who  knew  him  inti- 
mately, are  sufficient,  one  would  think,  to  make  wise  men  very 
reluctant  to  pronounce  even  such  statements  as  those  with  which 
this  lecture  commenced,  either  dreams  or  fables.  His  heart,  we 
may  depend  upon  it,  was  too  good  to  allow  him  to  deceive  others  ; 
and  his  understanding  was  too  clear  and  comprehensive  to  allow 
him  to  deceive  himself. 

The  purpose,  or  one  of  the  purposes,  for  which  Swedenborg  was 
permitted  to  enjoy  open  intercourse  with  spirits  and  angels,  is  stated 
by  himself  in  the  following:  lanimao-e  : 

"  That  there  is  a  spiritual  world  inhabited  by  spirits  and  angels,  and 
that  of  a  very  different  nature  and  constitution  from  that  we  live  in 
here,  is  a  truth  much  doubted  of  by  many,  even  in   the  Christian 
world  ;  and  that,  because  no  angel  has  come  down  from  heaven  to 
declare  it  unto  them,  and  no  man,  whilst  in  the  body,  hath  ascended 
up  and  seen  it.     And  therefore,  that  ignorance  in  this  particular  may 
no  longer  be   pretended  by  such  for  an  excuse  of  their  unbelief,  and 
lest,  by  a  most  fatal  delusion,  they  should  fall  into  that  species  of 
atheism  which  ascribes  all  to  nature,  the  Lord  hath  been  graciously 
pleased  to  give  me  a  view  in  spirit,  both  of  the  heavenly  and  hellish 
kingdoms  ;  so  that  I  can,  from  sight   and   experience,  declare,  that 
there  are  two  worlds  entirely  distinct   from  each  other,  the  one  in 
which  all  things  are  spiritual,  and  therefore  called  the  spiritual  world  ; 
the  other  in  which  all  things  are  natural,  and  therefore  called  the  nat- 
ural world  ;  that  spirits  and  angels  live  in  the  world  that  is  accom- 
modated to  their  condition  of  existence,  as  men  do  in  that  which  is 
proper  to  them  ;  and  also,  that  every  man  passes  through  death  from 
the  one  to  the  other,  in  which  he  continues  to  Uve  to  all  eternity."— 
Influx  n.  3. 

I  design,  at  present,  to  consider  the  question  of  the  possibility/ 
of  Swedenborg's  intromission  into  the  spiritual  world  after  the 
manner  alleged  by  him  ;  and,  in  the  next  lecture,  shall  consider 
whether  it  be  probable,  or  whether,  froni  his  well  known  character 
and  from  the  nature  of  his  disclosures,  "there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  such  was  the  case. 

First,  then,  is  the  thing  alleged  possil^le  ?  If  we  believe  that 
there  really  is  a  spiritual  world,  and  that  man  has  a  spiritual  body 
adapted  to  it,  as  his  material  body  is  adapted  to  this  natural  world, 
then  certainly  it  does  seem  possible.  For  if  we  have  a  spiritual 
body  within  the  natural,  we  should  suppose  that  bod>  would  be 
endowed  with  senses  suited  to  its  wants  and  uses  in  the  spiritual 


INTO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD. 


291 


vvorld,  as  our  natural  senses  are  suited  to  our  wants  and  uses  in 

this  world.     And  since  man,  as  to  his  spirit,  or  his  spiritual  body 

IS  actually  an  inhabitant  of  the  spiritual  world  even  while  he  lives 

upon  earth,  if  he  has  spiritual  senses,  there  is  no  reason  that  we 

can  see  why  these  might  not  be  opened  so  as  to  enable  bun  to  see 

and  hear  thmgs  in  the  spiritual  world,  whenever  the  Lord  in  his 

mfinite  wisdom  should  see  a  fit  occasion  for  doing  so.     Reason 

therefore,  admits  \i%  possibility .  ' 

But  on  turning  to  the   Sacred  Scripture,  we  find  this  question 

placed  beyond  all  doubt.     We  there  find  abundant  evidence,  not 

only  that  man  has  spiritual  senses,  but  that  they  have  frequently 

been  opened  in  him  while  Hving  in  this  world.     All  the  instances 

which  are  recorded  in  the  Scripture,  of  angels  having  been  seen 

by  men,  furnish  us  with  evidence  of  this  kind.     (See  Gen.  xix.  1  ; 

xxxii.  1  ;  Luke  i.  30  :  ii.  10 ;  xxiv.  23,  and  other  places.)     For  if 

angels*  or  spirits  could  be  seen  with  the  natural  eyes,  then  why 

are  they  not  frequently  seen  ?     Why  do  we  not  see  the  spirits  of 


*  The  word  angel,  in  the  original,  both  Hebrew  and   Greek,  means  simply 
a  messenger --one  sent.     Some  commentators,  therefore,  wish  to  confine  the 
word  entirely  to  persons  living  in  the  natural  world.     But  that  the  word  is 
used  to  designate  an  inhabitant  of  the  spiritual  world,  is  manifest  from  many 
passages  in  which  it  occurs.     Thus  in  Luke,  we  are  informed  that  the  Lord's 
advent  was  announced  to  the  shepherds  by  "  the  angel  of  the  Lord  ;  "  "and 
suddenly  there  was  with   the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host ;  "  and 
afterward,  we  are  told  what  happened  when  « the  angels    were  gone  away 
from  them  into  heaven."     ( ii.  9,  13,  15.)     If  these  had  not  been  spiritual  be- 
ings, they  would  hardly  have  been  spoken  of  as  ''the  heavenly  host,''  nor  as 
going  away  into  heaven  when  they  left  the  shepherds  ;  nor  can  we  otherwise 
conceive  how  such  a  multitude  could   have  appeared  ''suddenly''  to  the  shep- 
herds while  "keeping  watch  over  their  flock  by  night."     But  if  we  admit 
that  man  has  spiritual  eyes  which  may  be  opened  suddenly,  so  as  to  give  him 
a  view  of  angels  and  spirits,  then  this  whole  passage  becomes  easy  of  expla- 
nation. 

Again  :  in  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  we  are  told  that  when 
the  beggar  died,  he  "  was  carried  by  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom."  (  Luke 
xvi.  22.)  These  "angels"  were  evidently  beings  who  attended  the  poor  man 
in  the  spiritual  world.  The  Lord  also  says  of  little  children  "  that  their  angels 
in  the  heavens  do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father  which  is  in  the  heav- 
ens." (Matt,  xviii.  10.)  These  must  mean  inhabitants  of  the  spiritual 
world.  The  Apostle  also  says,  "  Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men 
and  of  angels,  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass  and  a 
tinkling  cymbal."  (  1  Cor.  xiii.  1.)  Angels  are  evidently  used  here  to  dis- 
tinguish the  inhabitants  of  the  spiritual  world  from  men,  who  belong  to  the 
natural  world. 


292 


SWEDE^'BORG's    IMUOMISSION 


our  friends  after  they  have  left  the  natural  body  ?   Why  are  not  the 
spirits  of  all  who  have  departed  this  life  visible  to  the  natural  eye  ? 
Again  :  we  lind  it  frequently  said  in  the  Scripture,  that  persons 
were  "  carried  away  in  the  Spirit."     And  when  in  this  state,  it 
appears  that  they  heard  and  saw  wonderful  things.     Thus  in  the 
prophecy  of  Ezekiel :  -  Then  the  spirit  took  me  up,  and  I  heard 
behind  me  a  voice  of  a  great  rushing,  saying.  Blessed  be  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  from  this  place.     I  heard  also  the  noise  of  the  wings 
of  the  living  creatures  that  touched  one  another,  and  the  noise  of 
the  wheels  over  against  them,  and  the  noise  of  a  great  rushing." 
(in.  12,  13.)     Is   this  to  be  regarded  as  a  mere  fancy  of  the 
prophet  — as  something  which  he  imagined  that  he  heard  — or 
did  he  really  hear  such  sounds  as  he  describes  ?     And  if  so,  were 
they  in  the  natural  or  in  the  spiritual  world?     Were  they  heard 
with  the  ears  of  the  natural  or  of  the  spiritual  body,  when  the 
prophet  was  ''  lifted  up  ?" 

Again  :  this  same  prophet  declares,  that  **  it  came  to  pass  in  the 
thirtieth  year,  in  the  fourth  month,  in  the  fifth  day  of  the  month, 
as  I  was  among  the  captives  by  the  river  of  Chebar,  that  ike  heav- 
ens were  opened,  and  /  saw  visions  of  Godr  (  i.  1.)  And  he  de- 
scribes what  he  saw. 

"  And  I  looked,"  he  says,  "and  behold  a  whirl-wind  came  out  of  the 
north,  a  great  cloud,  and  a  fire  infolding  itself,  and  a  brightness  was 
about  It,  and  out  of  the  midst  thereof  as  the  color  of  amber,  out  of  the 
midst  of  the  fire  :     Also  out  of  the  midst  thereof  came  the  likeness  of 
four  living  creatures.     And  this  was  their  appearance  ;  the>  had  the 
likeness  of  a  man.     And  every  one  had  four  faces,  and  every  one  had 
lour  wings.     And  their  feet  were  straight  feet ;  and  the  sole  of  their 
teet  was  like  the  sole  of  a  calf's  foot  :  and  they  sparkled  like  the  color 
of  burnished  brass.     And  they  had  the  hands  of  a  man  under  their 
wings  on  their  four  sides  ;  and  they  four  had  their  faces  and  their 
wings.     Their  wings  were  joined  one  to   another  ;  they  turned  not 
when  they  went ;  they  went  every  one  straight  forward.     As  for  the 
likeness  of  their  faces,  they  four  had  the  i^ce  of  a  man  and  the  face 
of  a  hon  on  the  right  side  ;  and  they  four  had  the  face  of  an  ox  on 
the  left  side  ;  they  four  also  had  the  face  of  an  eagle.     Thus  were 
their  faces  :  and  their  wings  were  stretched  upward  ;  two  wings  of 
every  one  were  joined  one  to  another,  and  two  covered  their  bodies. 

"  Now,  as  I  beheld  the  living  creatures,  behold  one  wheel  upon  the 
earth  by  the  living  creatures,  with  his  four  faces.  The  appearance 
of  the  wheels  and  their  work  was  like  unto  the  color  of  a  beryl ;  and 
they  four  had  one  likeness  :  and  their  appearance  and  their  work  was 


I^TO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  ^^53 

as  it  were  a  u  heel  in  the  middle  of  a  wheel      When  thp 
went  upon  their  four  sidp.,  •  nn^  tK      .         .  ^^^^  ^^"^'  they 

for  their  rings  th  y  we^e    J  hth  tl'V^n"''  "''  "''"  ^^^^  ^^^^«^-   ^^ 
H..S  were  f^U  of  ^  L'II       :  /^^^^^^^^  ^--d  their 

creatures  went,  the  wheels  went  by  them     and  when  H     V      '"'"" 
tures  were  hfted  up  from  the  earth  thp  J^'  T  '^  ^'"^^"^  ^'^^^- 

ersoever  the  spirit  wasltn  T  ^^^  ^^'^  ^'^'^^  "P"    ^^^ith- 

living  creatures  was  in  the  l^Z:^:^^:  tl^]'  '''''  ''  ''' 

ituf/toHd  rttt  r  ^'r.^^^"^--  ^^^  -^ural  or  in  the  spir- 

udi  world  .—with  his  natural  or  with  his  spiritual  evo^  9     tF 
were  what   he  calls  ^^ visions  of  God,'>  which  he    aw' "hen  5 

CZir'  r''-^     '' ''  P^^^"  ^--  ^^->  therefore,  I    well  as 

Such  representative  appearances  were  seen  also  hv  .l,»     ,u 
prophets.     Thus  the  prophet  Zechariah  says  ^     "  "'^'^ 

n^ountalns  ^^et^Z^ ^^::^^ ^^^^Z'  an.  .,e 
horses,  and  in  the  seronrl  Plm.j^f  ki     i   u  cHariot  were  red 

I  answered  and  said  unto  the  ano-pl  tL.  .  ,,     ,      ^  Worses.     Then 

and  the  gnslcd  go  forth  toward  the  south  country      And  tht  I  ' 

^•^"a'ndl-^l'd'r^;"  ''T''  "'-''''  -.rZo  andtt  i:r 
earth  .  and  he  said.  Get  you  hence,  walk  to  and  fro  throu<.h  the  earth 

So  they  walked  to  and  fro  through  the  earth."  (vi   1-7  )  ' 

Now  ,f  the  prophet  really  saw  the  things  here  described   it  !« 
manifest  that  he  could  not  have  seen  thenTin  the  natural';   d 
and  consequently  not  with  his  natural  but  with  his  spir  tual  eyes 
for  he  could  not,  ,„  this  world,  have  seen  chariots  coming  out  from' 
hety^oen  two  mountams  of  brass.     (See  also  Zech.  i.  8  ;  ii    iv    v 

otr^Cs:/""'  -■  -•  ^-  -  -  ^■'-  -  ^'"-^  --  an^  -:; 
Similar  things  also  are  recorded  in  the  Revelation  : 
"  I  was  in  the  spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  heard  behind  me  a  great 


294 


SWEDENBORG  S    INTROMISSION 


voice,  as  of  a  trumpet,  saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and 
the  last  ;  and  what  thou  seest,  write  in  a  book,  and  send  it  unto  the 
seven  churches  which  are  in  Asia  ;  unto  Ephesus,  and  unto  Smyrna, 
and  unto  Pergamos,  and  unto  Thyatira,  and  unto  Sardis,  and  unto 
Philadelphia,  and  unto  Laodicea.  And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that 
spake  with  me.  And  being  turned,  I  saw  seven  golden  candlesticks  : 
And  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks  one  like  unto  the  Son  of 
Man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps 
with  a  golden  girdle.  His  head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool, 
as  white  as  snow  ;  and  his  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire.  And  his  feet 
like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace  ;  and  his  voice  as 
the  sound  of  many  waters.  And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars: 
and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged  sword  :  and  his  counte- 
nance was  as  the  sun  shineth  in  his  strength."  (i.  10-16.) 

Can  any  one  believe  that  John  saw  and  heard  these  things  with 
his  natural  senses  ?  If  so,  what  are  we  to  understand  by  his 
being  *'in  the  spirit'*  at  the  time  they  were  seen  and  heard  ? 
Besides,  he  tells  us  in  another  place  (chap,  iv.)  of  things  which  he 
heard  and  saw  when  *'  a  door  was  opened  in  heaven  :  '* 

"  After  this  I  looked,  and  behold,  a  door  was  opened  in  heaven  : 
and  the  first  voice  which  I  heard,  was  as  it  were  of  a  trumpet  talking 
with  me  :  which  said,  Come  up  hither,  and  I  will  shew  thee  things 
which  must  be  hereafter.  And  immediately  I  was  in  the  spirit ;  and 
behold,  a  throne  was  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sat  on  the  throne.  And 
he  that  sat  was  to  look  upon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone  :  and 
there  was  a  rainbow  round  about  the  throne  in  sight  like  unto  an 
emerald.  And  round  about  the  throne  were  four  and  twenty  seats  ; 
and  upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting,  clothed  in 
white  raiment  ;  and  they  had  on  their  heads  crowns  of  gold.  And 
out  of  the  throne  proceeded  lightnings,  and  thunderings,  and  voices. 
And  there  were  seven  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the  throne,  which 
are  the  seven  spirits  of  God.  And  before  the  throne  there  was  a  sea 
of  glass  like  unto  crystal  :  And  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  round 
about  the  throne,  were  four  beasts  full  of  eyes  before  and  behind.  And 
the  first  beast  was  like  a  lion,  and  the  second  beast  like  a  calf,  and 
the  third  beast  had  a  face  as  a  man,  and  the  fourth  beast  was  like  a 
flying  eagle.  And  the  four  beasts  had  each  of  them  six  wings  about 
him  ;  and  they  were  full  of  eyes  within  :  and  they  rest  not  day  and 
night,  saying.  Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty,  which  was,  and 
is,  and  is  to  come."  (Rev.  iv.  1-8.) 

It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  these  things  were  seen  in  the  natural 
world,  or  with  the  natural  eyes  ;  especially  as  the  Revelator  him- 
self declares  that  he  saw  them  when  "a  door  was  opened  in 


INTO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  295 

eyes,  even  if  it  were  not  said  th.tZ  """^  '^^  "'^'"'•a' 

-as  opened  in  heaven"  "then  Jot'"""  -T  "^""  "  ^  ^"- 
as  horses  coding  out  f  a  boo  (chap  1T  ^  ''"^  '"'''''-'"  '^'^'^ 
crowns  upon  thefr  heads  wlfW^  .  ^"  I  -•''  '°''"''^'  -'*  golden 
the  teeth'of  iions  iTy^^.tl^:  T"'  '''r  '^  "'  ^'-"' 
great  red  dragon,  havin.  seve„ \!  .  ^^ ''°°  (^hap.  ix.);  "a 
'•  whose  tail  drew  away  rtLrrtofT.""'^   '""  ^°™^'"  ^^'^ 

them  to  the  earth  »  iap    xiiT  1    ,  "^^''''''^  '""^  ''''<' 

character.  ^     ^^  ''"•'''  ^""^  ""^ny  other  things  of  like 

pas!S fheTe  Sll^Ljir^^  ^^  T  ""-'--'  '"  ^'- 
scribed  ?     Or  do  we  b7ie^eT£  T\""' /''"''''  ''  '"''^y  ^^  <'- 

were  men  of  disorderedti^ds  '     0^  th2^'^  '^"^  ''^^  ^^^■'^'^'- 
undue  development  of  th^  .   "        J  ^^^  possessed  such  an 

ceived  themseClnd  haveT' f  "^"'•^^'---*^'  that  they  de- 
things  wi,ich  the  ;  Tvelt  1  f  ■■'  '"'.'"'^'^'  ^  ^''-'^^  v,sins, 
never  really  saw  "    Thl    'T     ?  ^'"'''''^'  ^"'  ''^'''^  ^'"^7 

nology.  his^wn^ndLtnCrt^-J^  «^  P'"' 

degree  as  to  adopt  this  latter  cnn.l.  ^°'''  *°  ^'"«''  a 

pitied.  And  if  le  must  alnt  f  T'  "  '"'"'^'"'y  "^""^J'  ">  be 
rational,  and  believe  that  hev  dW  !  T"'  "  ^""°  '^>«  -o^' 
or  when  the  heavens  wLlopel^^^^^^^^^  ^"''"'^  ""  '^^  '^P'"'. 

recorded,  then  we  must  also  Ee  tut  t  t""  ''"^ '"" 

natural  but  in  the  spiritual  world       f     f"^  '^"^  ^^'"^  "»'  i«  'he 

Again  :  the  writin^lf  thrAn„'  T  ^  "'''''  '?*"'"«'  'y^'- 
of  tlfe  existence  in  man  of  sptS'se  ""'  '".'"'"^'"^  -■''^-- 
that  these  have  been  opened 7  rinl  Tan^hf"'  °'  ""  ''"''  ^'^^°- 
example,  Paul  says:  ''I  knew  a  ^^f  of  "P""  """'>•  ^or 
years  ago  (whether  in  he  bolv  I  T  '?  .,"""'  "'^'^"'  ^°""*--» 
the  bod; /cannot  tell  God In'oi  1?)"  '  "'  "'"''^'-  °"'  '' 
the  third  heaven.     And  I  knewlti'^  f  '"  °"^  T'\  "^  '° 

was  cauo-ht  up  into  nararli^^   ^^^  i       ,  *     *     *  ^^^^  ^^at  he 

^  P'iiaaibe,  and  heard  un^npnhnU^.  i 

It  .s  not  possible  for  a  man  to  utter  "  (9  (,'^~^'  "■«''^^'.  which 

it  cannot  be  believed  that  the  Apostle  heard  2.  ^'  'K  ^'"="'"'j' 
natural  ears;  for  they  were  not  1,7^1  .  ^®  words  with  his 
spiritual  world-when  hi  was  <<         ^f  '"  '^'  """"-^^   ^'"' '»  the 

On  another  occasion  this  Aposl"^  '<1V  '^^^'^"•" 
cus  with  authority  and  commission  fr'm  the  H     f"'"' ''  ''''"^" 
^ay.  0  king,  I  saw  in  the  way  a  [JJt  trn'Ti^ab^^lt 


296 


SWEDENBORG  S    INTROMISSION 


brightness  of  the  sun,  shining  round  about  me  and  them  which 
journeyed  with  me.  And  when  we  were  all  fallen  to  the  earth,  I 
heard  a  voice  speaking  unto  me,  and  saying  in  the  Hebrew  tongue, 
Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me  ?  It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick 
against  the  pricks."  (Acts  xxvi.  12,  13,  14.)  That  this  light 
which  Paul  saw  was  not  natural,  and  therefore  was  not  seen  with 
his  natural  but  with  his  spiritual  eyes,  is  evident  from  his  saying, 
that  it  was  a  light  from  heaven,  and  also  that  it  was  above  the  bright- 
ness  of  the  sun.  Moreover,  this  appearance  coincides  with  what  is 
taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church  concerning  light  in  the 
spiritual  world.* 

The  Apostle  Peter  also  tells  us  of  a  vision  which  he  had,  when 
in  a  trance  in  the  city  of  Joppa : 

"  A  certain  vessel  descended,  as  it  had  been  a  great  sheet  let  down 
from  heaven  by  four  corners ;  and  it  came  to  me  :  upon  the  which 
when  I  had  fastened  mine  eyes,  I  considered,  and  saw  four  footed  beasts 
of  the  earth,  and  wild  beasts,  and  creeping  things,  and  fowls  of  the 
air.  And  I  heard  a  voice  saying  unto  me,  Arise,  Peter;  slay  and  eat. 
But  I  said,  Not  so  Lord  :  for  nothing  common  or  unclean  hath  at  any 
time  entered  into  my  mouth.  But  the  voice  answered  me  again  from 
heaven,  What  God  hath  cleansed,  that  call  not  thou  common.  And 
this  was  done  three  times  :  and  all  were  drawn  up  again  into  heaven." 
(Acts  xi.  5-10.) 

This  was  a  representative  appearance  to  Peter,  according  to  his 
own  account  of  it ;  for  he  was  thereby  taught,  that  ''  God  is  no 
respecter  of  persons  ;  but  in  every  nation  he  that  heareth  Him, 
and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accepted  with  Him."  (Acts  x.  34, 
35.)  And  it  agrees  well  with  the  representative  appearances  which 
were  seen  by  Swedenborg  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  which  are 
described  in  his  Jfemorabilia.  We  therefore  infer,  that  Peter  saw 
and  heard  the  things  here  described,  not  in  the  natural  but  in  the 
spiritual  world,  when  his  spiritual  senses  w^ere  opened. 

But  there  is  more  testimony  in  the^Scripture  in  proof  of  the  fact 
that  men  have  spiritual  senses,  which  may  be,  and  actually  have 
been,  opened  during  their  life  upon  earth. 

We  read  that  when  the  Lord  was  transfigured  before  his  three 


INTO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD. 


*  "The  light  in  heaven,"  says  Swedenborg, "  is  such,  as  to  exceed  the  noon- 
day light  of  this  world  in  a  degree  surpassing  all  belief.  They  [i.  c,  the 
angels]  however  receive  no  light  from  this  world,  because  they  are  above  or 
within  the  sphere  of  that  light ;  but  they  receive  light  from  the  Lord,  who  to 
them  is  a  sun." — A.  C.  n.  1521. 


297 


disciples,  "  His  face  did  shine  as  the  snn  =.n^  w  • 
white  as  the  hght.  And  behold  the  laid  ZoT'V' 
and  Ehas  talking  with  Him."  (Matt  xvH  2  3  f  TnM  "  ^"' 
the  sniiitual  Pvct  „f  .i       i-    •  \  '     f     ^°  '""^  instance 

LorH  in  7  '^  '•""P^"'  ^''"'  "P^ned.  and  they  saw  the 

Lo.d.n,ns  glory-saw  Him  as  the  angels  of  h;aven  selu^-Z 
he  Sun     for  we  are  taught  in  the  writings  of  the  New  Church 
hat  He  .s  the  Sun  of  the  spiritual  world,  "whose  liglulwisdom 
nd  whose  heat  is  love.    Thus  was  he  seen  by  John  The  Re^ elato": 
H,s  countenance  was  as  the  sun  shineth  in  his  strength  ''^v' 
<•    4.)     And  that  it  was  with  their  spiritual,  and  not  with  the[; 
natural  eyes,  that  the  disciples  saw  Him  on  the  mouTofuLfZ 

spirit  ,vhen  he  saw  His  countenance  shining  as  the  sun  This 
also  appears  still  more  evident,  from  the  circumstance  of  the  r 
eemg  Moses  and  Elias,  who  had  long  since  been  dead  and  who 
could,  therefore,  be  seen  only  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  of  course 
only  with  spiritual  eyes.  >    ""  oi  couise 

Again  :  the  spiritual  senses  of  the  shepherds  were  opened  when 
"the  angel  of  the  Lord  came  upon  them,  and  the  glory  o    the 
Lord  shone  round  about  them;"  and  when  there  slddL,  an 
peared  "with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  iais.I 
God   and  saying  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  ear  h  peace" 
good  will  toward  men."  (Luke  ii.  9,  13:i4.)    This  is  a  neclZtn 
conclusion  from  tlie  facts  recorded,  unless  we  are  willing  to  admh 
hat  ange  s  or  spiritual  beings  may  be  seen  with  the  natural  ey" 
(oee  note  to  page  291.)  •' 

Again  :  when  the  women,  who  came  early  to  the  Lord's  sepul- 
chre  "  entered  in  and  found  not  the  body  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ' 
and     were  much  perplexed  thereabout,"  it  is  said  "behold  two 
men  stood  by  them  in  shining  garments ;  and  as  they  were  afraid 
and  bowed  down  their  faces  to  the  earth,  they  said  unto  them 
Why  seek  ye  the  living  among  the  dead  ?     He  is  not  here  but 
r  n'" ;.  '^"^^"f^'  ^!'^  He  spake  unto  you  when  He  was  yet  in 
Gahlee        (Luke  xx,v.  4,  5,  6.)     It  appears  plain  from  the  nar- 
rative, that  the  "  two  men  in  shining  garments,"  who  appeared  and 
spake  to  the  women  on  that  occasion,  were  not  inhabitants  of  the 
natural  world,  but  were  angels.     And  this  view  is  corroborated  by 
the  fact,  that  the  women  themselves  so  considered  them ;  for  we 
find  It  written  (..  23):  "  And  when  they  found  not  his  body,  they 
came  saying  that  they  had  also  seen  a  vUion  of  angels,  which  said 
that  lie  was  alive. 


298 


swedenborg's  intromission 


In  the  gospel  of  Matthew,  where  only  one  *  angel  is  mentioned 
as  being  seen  at  the  sepulchre,  it  is  said  concerning  him  that  "  his 
countenance  was  Hke  lightning,  and  his  raiment  white  as  snow." 
(xxviii.  3.)  Now  this  appearance  of  the  garments  of  the  angels 
as  described  by  the  Evangelists,  coincides  perfectly  with  the 
account  which  Swedenborg  gives  of  their  garments,  as  may  be 
seen  from  the  followincr  extracts  : 

o 

"The  garments  with  which  the  angels  are  clothed,  like  the  other 
things,  correspond  ;  and  because  they  correspond,  they  also  really 
exist.  Their  garments  correspond  to  their  intelligence  ;  wherefore  all 
in  the  heavens  appear  clothed  according  to  intelligence  ;  and  because 
one  excels  another  in  intelligence,  therefore  one  has  more  excellent 
garments  than  another.  The  most  intelligent  have  garments  glitter- 
ing as  from  flame,  some  shining  as  from  light  ;  the  less  intelligent 
have  bright  and  white  garments  without  splendor  ;  and  the  still  less 
intelligent  have  garments  of  diverse  colors. 

"Because  the  garments  of  the  angels  correspond  to  their  intelli- 
gence, therefore  also  they  correspond  to  truth,  since  all  intelligence  is 
from  Divine  Truth  ;  wherefore  whether  you  say  that  angels  are 
clothed  according  to  intelligence,  or  according  to  Divine  Truth,  it  is 
the  same  thing.  That  the  garments  of  some  glitter  as  from  flame, 
and  those  of  some  shine  as  from  light,  is,  because  flame  corresponds 
to  good,  and  light  to  truth  from  good.  That  the  garments  of  some  are 
bright  and  white  without  splendor,  and  of  some  are  of  diverse  colors, 
is,  because  the  Divine  Good  and  Truth  are  less  refulgent,  and  also  are 
variously  received,  with  the  less  intelligent :  brightness,  also,  and 
whiteness,  correspond  to  truth,  and  colors  to  its  varieties." 

In  his  Memorable  Relations,  also,  Swedenborg  speaks  of  seeino- 


*  We  observe  here  an  apparent  discrepancy  between  the  account  in  Mat- 
thew, and  that  given  by  Luke.  In  the  former,  mention  is  made  of  only  one 
angel,  and  in  the  latter  it  is  said  there  were  two.  But  according  to  the  doc- 
trines of  the  New  Church,  this  apparent  discrepancy  admits  of  an  easy  ex- 
planation. For  in  one  of  his  Memorable  Relations,  {Conjugial  Love  n.  42), 
Swedenborg  says,  that  he  once  saw  "  a  chariot  descending  from  the  highest 
or  third  heaven,  in  which  was  seen  one  angel  ;  but  as  it  approached,  there 
were  seen  therein  two."  These  were  consorts,  whose  minds  were  so  per- 
fectly united,  that  at  a  distance  they  appeared  like  one  angel.  We  have, 
therefore,  only  to  suppose  that  thl  two  angels  seen  at  tlie  sepulchre,  accord- 
ing to  the  gospel  of  Luke,  were  conjugial  partners,  who,  when  seen  further 
off",  would  appear  as  one.  Both  accounts,  therefore,  are  true,  and  perfectly 
reconcilable  with  each  other  ;  —  one  Evangelist  being  inspired  to  record  their 
more  remote  appearance,  and  the  other  their  appearance  when  nearer  seen. 


INTO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  ^99 

two^'lSple':  as  r;te;e' of  "'"  ^'^  ^^'^  ''^^  "^  *<>  «. 
village  called  LmaL    .  1,  "^  *'^'*^'  '''^  '^"^^  ^^7  *»  - 

not  know  m^PTliJlZTe  r:  ""f'T  *'^'  '''''  ^^-"^ 

sat  at  meat  with  them.Tis  S.'d  ''LH  '''"""''  "'"^  "^ 
they  knew  Him  "     (v  31  t     K  f  '^''  ""'''  "P''^'^  ^"^ 

nlral  eyes  are  hei  mean\  ?  "^  f^rthe'n  "I  fT"  1  *"  ''^^'^ 
ciples  must  have  been  traveling  talkL  2  ?  '  '^'"'  **^  '^'^■ 
first   instance,    .UU  tkeir  natS'l  Zt      J  ''°l'"  "  '''' 

Botha,  toWt  hit:^sL:Ve';5;rid  ^z^r '- 

passed  the  city  both  wifl.   i.^.  i^^^pncc,  ana      the  host  com- 

Elisha,  being  g^ea^^rarl^'i^runt:  h-'°^'; '"  ""-^"^  "^ 
How  shall  we  do  '  AndT  I  '^'  ,""^  ^™'  ^^^''  '"J'  ^^ster  ! 
with  us  are  more  tlfan  thev  tTT\'  '"u""'''  ^^  "-y  "-t  be 
prayed,  and  said.  Lord  l  pray  tt'e  o/  "^'^  """•  ^"'^  ^"^'- 
And  the  Lord  opened  tke  eZ7of^;     "^  ''''■  "'"'  ^''  "'"^  ''"■ 

behold,  the  rr^untainZ  Zl  if  J  '"""'  T" '   ""^  '''  "'"''  ^-^' 

spiritual  senses  but  thl/r  °'''  "°'  ""'^  "^^^  ^^^  ''<'^'^ 

in  persons  whSe^lTngtth  l^^^a^d  7^^^  ''"''  '''-' 
could  see  thin<rs  in  the  sniritLl  t  ',  T^^f'  ^^'en  opened,  they 

by  the  bodily  eye     ii  hi  1     /     f  I  ^^''"^  "''''  ''°'  discernible 

the  multitud^e  or;he1eaver£fM:  '^"''"'  ''"''  ^^-"-) 
servant  did  not  see  them  unHW/r     ,     ^'''  ^'"'  '"■"  '  ^^'  bi 
he  ''beheld "rerounarfHr.'''^  "''""'^  ''' '^'' '  ^"^  then 
about  Elisha."  *  ^'''''  ""'^  '^^'^''  ^^  ^'^  round 

WoTo/aod  ft^rk'SIf  *^  ^"^'"^  ^  ^^  -'^-'^  the 
vxua,  1  ihmk  that  the  quest  on  with  reo-arrl   ir.  r^     > 

baving  sp,„tua,  senses,  and  the  .Im,,  of  tfeir  btfng  openTin^ 
Conjugial  Love  („.  266)  h"  sp  !ks tf  T         .  /'^"  '""^  "''^"'"^-     '^''"^  '» 


300 


SWEDENBORO'S    INTROMISSION 


him  during  his  life  in  this  world,  must  now  be  placed  beyond  all 
doubt.  Without  admitting-  this  fact,  we  know  of  no  rational  mode 
of  explaining  many  things  which  are  recorded  in  Scripture,  some 
of  which  have  been  noticed.  But  granting  this,  together  with 
what  Swedenborg  says  concerning  the  spiritual  world,  and  all  the 
visions  recorded  in  the  Bible  admit  of  an  easy  explanation.  We 
have  only  to  suppose  that  the  spiritual  senses  of  the  beholder  were 
for  the  time  opened,  and  that  the  things  then  presented  to  his  view 
were  actually  in  the  spiritual  world,  and  the  whole  becomes  plain, 
and  easy  to  be  understood ;  for  '*  The  world  of  spirits  and  the 
heavens,"  says  Swedenborg,  **  are  full  of  representatives,  such  as 
were  seen  by  the  prophets,  and  of  so  grand  a  kind  that  if  any  one's 
sight  were  opened,  and  he  could  look  into  those  worlds,  though  but 
for  a  few  hours,  he  could  not  but  be  astonished.'* — A.  C.  n.  1521. 

And  we  shall  find,  upon  careful  examination,  that  the  Memora- 
hilia  of  Swedenborg  are  not  a  whit  more  strange  or  incredible  than 
the  visions  recorded  in  the  Bible.  Any  one  who  really  believes  the 
latter,  may  easily  believe  the  former  likewise.  Indeed  these  Mem- 
orahilia  explain  and  illustrate,  not  only  the  visions,  but  many 
other  things  which  we  find  in  the  Scripture,  and  which,  without 
them,  were  "  hard  to  be  understood."  And  those  who  profess  the 
religion  of  Christ,  and  who  yet  ridicule  (  as  many  do)  the  idea  of 
Swedenborg's  having  had  his  spiritual  senses  opened  —  who  scoff 
at  his  Memorable  Relations — who  regard  his  alleged  intercourse 
with  the  spiritual  world  as,  of  itself,  evidence  of  his  insanity,  and 
as  affording  sufficient  grounds  for  rejecting,  luithout  excnninalion,  all 
that  he  has  written,  are  probably  not  aware  of  the  length  to  which 
their  logic  would  lead  them.  For  if  their  derision  be  not  misap- 
plied, and  their  conclusion  be  legitimately  drawn  from  the  premises 
—  if  the  fact  of  this  man's  alleged  intercourse  with  the  spiritual 
world  be  sufficient  to  prove  him  insane,  and  to  warrant  them  in  re- 
jecting w^hat  he  has  written  as  necessarily  a  delusion  and  a  lie 

then  let  them  be  consistent  and  employ:  the  same  mode  of  reason- 
ing when  they  come  to  the  Sacred  Scripture ;  and  they  will  find 
themselves  calling  the  Apostles  insane,  and  the  Prophets  insane  — 
sneering  at,  and  ridiculing,  many  portions  of  God's  Word,  and  re- 
jecting it  all  as  a  fable. 

Men  now-a-days  scoff  at  visions,  as  things  that  belong  only  to 
the  vulgar  and  superstitious.  But  this  is  because  there  is  so  little 
faith  in  the  reahty  and  presence  of  the  spiritual  world,  or  indeed 
in  any  thing  spiritual  in  man.     Once  it  was  not  so.     Once  it  was 


INTO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  ^(j^ 

.  ,,  ^  ^^^-  "•  ^- )  Once  a  wise  man  said,  "  Where  no 
vision  .s,  the  people  perish."  (Prov.  xxix.  ,8.)  Once  7  was 
deemed  a  privilege,  and  evidence  of  peculiar  goodness  of  helrt 

I  vt  M      t     .    ^'^^  """^  '**^^  ^^^  "'-'^ "  couW  not  enjoy.     "  Thus 
saih  the  Lord  concerning  the  prophets  that  riiake  my  people    rr 
that  bite  with  their  teeth,  and  cry.  Peace :  and  he  tha[  pu tTe  h  nol 

nth  riTiti"  f  ^"r^^^^^^^  ^°^'-'  himrxh^efr 

night  [shall  be]  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  not  have  a  vision;  and  it 
shaJl  be  dark  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  not  divine  ;  and  the   un  sha 
go  down  over  the  prophets  and  the  day  shall  be  dark  overTiet  - 
(  Micah  ■„  6,  6.)     On  the  other  hand  it  is  promised,  that,  inThe 
day  when  the  Lord  shall  pour  out  his  spirit  ipon  all  flesh,  "you 
sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophecy,  your  old  men  shall  dream 
dreams,  and  your  young  men  shall  see  visions."     ^  Joel  ii    28  \ 
Upon  the  whole,  therefore,  we  find  so  much  evidence  in  the 
bcripture  going  to  prove  that  man  has  spiritual  senses,  and  that 
these  have  actually  been  opened  during  his  life  upon  ear  h   that  I 

Wo;d  orL"""'^'  •'?  T'  °"^  '-''''  '"""''^'^  ''-  «'"<^  -  ^- 
Word  of  God,  can  reject  the  writings  of  the  New  Church   simnlv 

upon  the  ground  of  the  alleged  visions  which  these  :S:^ 
tarn.     For  if  this  be  a  sufficient  reason  for  rejecting  these  writino-s 
then  why  not  sufficient  for  rejecting  the  Sacred  Scripture  also     ° 

Having  now  shown  that  the  opening  of  Swedenborg's  spiritual 
senses  and  h.s  alleged  intercourse  with  the  spiritual  world!  are  amlnt 
dnngs  possme,  I  shall  proceed  in  the  ne.t  lecture  to  conTdef 
whether  it  be  probable;  that  is,  whether  the  things  which  he  has  re- 
lated concerning  the  other  world  be  of  such  a  nature -so  consistent 
with  themselves,  with  enlightened  reason,  with  the  rest  o    Hsti. 
tings,  and  with  the  Sacred  Scripture,  as  to  establish  a  high  de  Je 
of  probability  ,n  regard  to  their  truth.     Aleantime  I  would  remark 
that  these  Memorable  Relations  are  not  to  be  regarded  IrTa; 
thmgs  strange  and  curious,  useful  only  as  food  for  the  gratification 
of  an  inordinate  love  of  the  marvelous.     Not  only  are  theylll  of 
angeiic  wisdom,  but  they  are  highly  important  on  other  accounts 
They  serve  as  guards  to  prevent  those  from  approaching  and  be- 
coming acquainted  with  the  truths  of  the  New  Church,  who  are  in 
states  to  profane  them.     They  are  like  the  cherubim  placed  at  the 
en  ranee  of  the  garden  of  Eden,  to  keep  the  way  of  the  Tree  of 
Life:    while,  to  those  who  receive  the  Heavenly  Doctrines  with 


302 


SWEDENBORG  S    INTROMISSION 


affection,  these  Relations  impart  a  deeper  sense  of  the  reality  and 
presence  of  the  spiritual  world.  They  give  to  all  our  conceptions 
of  that  world  a  vividness,  which  we  could  not  have  had  without 
them.  They  contain,  as  it  were,  practical  illustrations  of  the  laws 
both  of  heavenly  and  of  infernal  life.  They  are  a  description  of 
that  world  whither  we  are  all  going,  and  where  we  are  to  dwell 
forever, — furnished  us  by  one  who  gives  ample  evidence  that  he 
has  himself  been  there,  and  describes  truly  what  he  heard  and 
saw.  Do  we  read  with  profit  and  delight  the  accounts  that  trav- 
elers give  of  foreign  lands  which  we  may  never  visit,  and  yet  re- 
ceive no  pleasure,  and  derive  no  profit,  from  authentic  accounts  of 
that  world  which  is  to  be  our  eternal  dwelling  place  ? 

Upon  this  subject  Mr.  Noble,  in  his  powerful  Appeal  in  behalf  of 
the  views  of  the  Eternal  Word  as  unfolded  in  the  writincrs  of  the 
New  Church,  has  the  following  sensible  remarks,  which  may  form 
an  appropriate  conclusion  to  this  lecture. 

"  If  the  accounts  of  travelers  in  distant  countries  are  read  with 
delight ;  if  even  the  minute  occurrences  which  happened  on  the  jour- 
ney to  the  travelers  themselves,  and  the  familiar  anecdotes  by  which 
they  illustrate  the  manners  of  the  people  and  the  character  of  the 
place,  are  found  to  possess  great  interest,  though  we  never  expect  to 
visit  those  countries  ourselves  ;  what  delight  ought  to  attend  the  pe- 
rusal of  an  authentic  account  of  that  eternal  country  to  which  we  are 
all  hastening,  and  with  what  interest  should  we  hang  over  a  favored 
traveler's  detail  of  the  familiar  incidents  which  are  there  constantly 
occurring,  and  in  which  we  must, ere  long,  be  called  to  take  our  share! 
That  a  special  traveler  should  be  empowered  to  communicate  such 
information,  by  no  means  exceeds,  we  have  seen,  the  bounds  of  rational 
credibility,  nor  even  of  probability.  The  possibility  of  it  is  abundantly 
evinced  by  the  narratives  of  Scripture  ;  and  the  facility  of  it  is  demon- 
strated by  the  views  of  man's  constitution,  and  of  the  laws  of  the 
spiritual  world,  discovered  in  the  writings  of  Swedenborg.  Indeed, 
many  divines  and  philosophers  have  seen  that  man  is  by  creation  a 
subject  of  both  worlds,  the  spiritual  and  natural.  If  by  his  spirit  he 
belongs  to  the  spiritaal  world,  and  he  has  a  spirit  within  him  while  he 
lives  in  the  body,  it  cannot  be  difficult  for  Him  who  is  the  Author  of 
both  to  open  the  senses  of  his  spirit  even  while  he  lives  in  the  body; 
he  must  then  be  at  once  perceptible  amid  the  objects  of  the  spiritual 
world,  in  the  same  manner  as  he  will  be  after  death;  and  accordingly, 
we  have  seen,  it  was  thus  that  views  of  the  spiritual  world  have  been 
vouchsafed  to  prophets  and  others.  Is  it  at  all  surprising  then,  that 
such  an  opening  of  the  spiritual  sight  should  take  place  in  an  extraor- 
dinary manner,  with  one  individual,  at  the  era  of  the  Lord's  second 


INTO    THE    SPIRITUAL    WORLD.  303 

coming  ]     Most  people  believe,  that  in  the  primeval  a^es  of  the  wnrlH 

its''  to  bl  "7  '""'Tri''''  ''  ^^'"^  ^^  '^  '''  character  of  "  n.et 
V  s,ts      0  be     few  and  far  between  :"  and  most  people   believe  also 
atm  the   latter  ages  of  the  world  such  commun^cat  ons  ^S     be  re-' 
6  or  d,  and  angels  will  again  be  closely  associated  with  men        i  then 
a    all  unreasonable  to  expect,  that,  as  preparatory  to  such  a  state 
should  It  be  the  purpose  of  Providence  to  produce  it,-or  in  heu  of  it' 
should  that  be  without  the  provisions  of  the  Divine  konomy  !!son^e 
d  stmc t,  accurate,  precise,  and  even  familiar  knowledge,  res^ctinrthe 
eternal  world,  its  appearances,  its  inhabitants,  and  its   ^^'21 
commumcated,  through  the  instrumentality  ol  one  commL;i?  her 
aid,  to  bemgs  who  belong  to  it,  in  part,  even  now,  and  are  soon  to  he 
ong  to  .t  altogether]     When  man's  former  stat  ,  and  h  s    tm     na  " 
tered  nature  as  a  subject  of  both  worlds,  are  refle  ted  on   th    wonder 
surely  ,s,  that  the  world  of  which  his  better  part  is  a  native  and  a  den 
jzen  should  ever  have  become  so  shut  out  from  him,  and  aH  partlu  ar" 
knowledge  respecting  it  so  utterly  lost, -not  that  they  shouM  a^^ 
be  restored  :  and  when  could  their  restoration  be  more^  appropriai T 
m  place  than  among  the  blessings  attendant  on  the  secondZS 
Whn  .  H  '"ti?'"'''"'"'  "P""  '^'  performance  of  the  last  judgment 
Zt        r,  .    'V'r  '""'^  '^  ^'^^  probability  on  this  subjecf'o  the 
s  at  ment  of  Swedenborg,  and  nothing  which,  fairly  estimated,  de tral 
at  all  from  their  credibility;  whilst  all  the  particulars  advanced   when 
the.r  causes  are  understood,  are  found  to  be  in  the  strictest  a^e;m^^^^^ 
both   with   Scripture  and  Reason  ;  they  surely  may  be  presfid  uoon 
he  candid  and  reflecting  as  in  the  highest  de^ee  worthy'  of  their 'at" 

isC immral'^^^^^^^^^       ^^^^^""^^"  ^^  '''  ^^^^-^  -'--  -  -n 


LECTURE   XII. 


BWEDENBORG's    intercourse    with    the    spiritual   world,    and    HI8 

MEMORABILIA. 


"They  came,  saying  that  they  had  also  seen  a  vision  of  angels." — Luke  xxiv.  23. 

In  the  last  lecture  it  was  shown  from  the  Sacred  Scripture,  that 
men  of  former  times  had  spiritual  senses,  which  could  be  opened, 
and  actually  ivere  opened,  during  their  abode  in  the  natural  world. 
The  inference,  therefore,  is  unavoidable,  that  men  now-a-days  have 
these  senses  also,  and  that  they  are  susceptible  of  being  opened, 
whenever  the  Lord  in  his  wisdom  sees  a  fit  occasion  for  it.  Thus 
the  possibility  of  Swedenborg's  intercourse  with  the  spiritual  world, 
and  of  his  having  actually  seen  and  heard  the  things  recorded  in 
his  Memorabilia,  is  established  upon  the  highest  authority. 

I  come  now  to  consider  the  question  of  the  probability  of  his 
alleged  intromission  into  the  spiritual  world.  And,  in  order  to 
settle  this  question  fairly,  we  should  first  endeavor  to  learn  the 
true  meaning  of  his  Memorable  Relations — learn  how  they  are  to 
be  understood.  And  having  done  this,  we  should  next  consider 
whether  they  are  rational;  that  is,  whether  they  are  consistent 
with  other  parts  of  his  writings,  with  the  Sacred  Scripture,  and 
with  all  that  we  know  of  the  order  of  Providence,  and  of  the 
nature,  constitution,  and  laws  of  the  human  soul.  We  should  not 
consider  it  wise  or  right  for  a  man,  wholly  uninstructed  in  the 
truths  of  Revelation,  to  open  the  Bible,  say  at  the  10th  chapter  of 
Ezekiel,  or  at  the  9th  chapter  of  the  Revelation,  and,  understand- 
ing those  visions  according  to  their  literal  sense,  to  infer  from  the 
strange  things  there  recorded,  that  the  Bible  is  a  book  of  silly 
fables,  and  all  its  believers  insane  men,  or,  at  best,  men  with  the 
organ  of  marvelousness  unduly  deveJ.oped.  We  should  feel  war- 
ranted in  saying  that  this  were  a  rash  conclusion,  and  one  deduced 
from  quite  insufficient  data.  We  should  tell  such  a  man  that  he 
ought  to  make  himself  better  acquainted  with  the  contents  of  this 
book  generally — with  the  external  and  internal  evidences  of  its 
divine  origin  —  before  he  permits  himself  to  pronounce  such  an 
opinion  concerning  the  Bible.  Yet  (strange  to  tell !)  this  is  pre- 
cisely the  course  pursued  by  many  professing  Christians  with  re- 
gard to  the  writings  of  Swedenborg.  Without  making  themselves 
(304) 


SWEDENBORG'S   MEMORABILIA.  3Q3 

-Liiij,   certainly,  is  neither  wise  nor  just. 

other  thilrTnJ  thaVi  '^'  "'  ^'"^'''  P^''^'^'^^^'  ^-d,  and 

sp.ntual  s,ght  opened,  an  angel  came  to  him  and  said       '  " 

and  said. '  Look  aromid  '  A.Alf  T/'""^  '"'°  *  '"^^^  ^'^'^  ^^Id, 
most  beautiful  colors  somPfl"  '^  "™""'''  """^  ''^  ^'^-^^  of  th^ 

some  upon  thi  7oZ'ZZ^SkZZrT'  ?°"  ''"  ''''''  --^ 
the  birds  were  alo  dovefanl  "lans  iftirthr^.l  '  ""^  '  ^'"°"^^' 
my  sight,  I  saw,  not  far  from  ZTl'    ,       /  ^    "  '^ings  vanished  from 

goatslnd  kids  ;  and  round  alrAoTfl  t  ''r"  "'*  '^'"^^'  ''"'^  "^ 
calves,  and  als;  of  cam  s  a^d  :'  ."it^  i  Tjr''  "''''''''  '"" 
.  with  high  horns;  and  also  unicorns  After  ^^  T"  ^^°^^' ^^ags 
he  said,  'Turn  your  face  towa  d  the  ealt  ■  ind  r  "^'  ''''''  '''^' 
which  were  fruit-trees,  as  oranJe-t  ees  c  tmn,  i  '"-^  '  ^"^'"' '" 
pomegranates,  and  al  o  shr2f  mTZV  '"'''''' ^^•'''''' 
said,  <  Look  now  toward  the  slfh  '  Vn;  T  "''«  ■Z'"''™'^''  ^' 
various  kinds-wheat  oats   barTv  »   A^  ^^'^  ^^^'^^  «'"  g^^'"  "f 

beds  Of  roses.  e.hiSi:r;rra:  i  u^^^; -^^^^^^ 
the  north,  groves  full  of  chestnut-trees,  palitrees  Sn  t  7"^ 

trees  and  other  trees,  all  in  the  richest  folia"  wien  I  had  sT'  ^  '"" 
he  said,  *  All  those  thin  (r«:  vvii.VK  u  °  ^^"^^  1  nad  seen  these, 
the  auctions  of  the  of:  fe  an"  r^"  ""  --"^Pondences  of' 
they  told  me  to  what  arcl^evey'wt":^'^^^  '''7'''  ^"'^ 
that  not  only  those  things,  but  also'allThCTerTints'^h  Y"°"°''''' 
sented  to  our  eves  as  ohiprt=  „f    •  u!  ^^  ^^"^'^  a^e  pre- 

houses,  and  t  e Trni  ure  in  em  tab  e'  '"h  '=°"^^P°"''-'=-  =  -eh'  as 
coins  of  gold  and  s  Iver  as  a^o '  I  '  7  "'T' ""''  •='°*^^'  ^"^  *'^« 
With  whifh  Wives  and:?rgt:'L°  htvTn"  ti^^r  Km  lllt^^' 
th.ngs,  we  percve  what  each  one  is,  as  to  love  aid  wilZ.  "t£ 


306 


swedenborg's  memorabilia. 


things  which  are  in  our  houses,  and  serve  for  uses,  constantly  remain 
there;  but  to  the  eyes  of  those  who  wander  from  one  society  to  another, 
such  things  are  changed  according  to  consociation.   These  things  have 
been  shown  to  you,  in  order  that  you  might  see  the  whole  creatFon  in  a 
particular  type;  for  God  is  Love  itself  and  Wisdom  itself;  and  the  affec- 
tions of  his  love  are  infinite,  and  the  perceptions  of  his  wisdom  are  infi- 
nite; and  of  these,  all  and  every  thing  that  appears  upon  the  earth  are 
correspondences;  thence  are  birds  and  beasts,  thence  trees  and  shrubs, 
thence  corn  and  other  grain,  thence  herbs  and  grass  of  every  kind  ; 
for  God  is  not  extended,  but  still  He  is  in  the  extense  every  where  ; 
thus  in  the  universe  from  its  firsts  to  its  lasts  ;  and  because  He  is 
omnipresent,  such  correspondences  of  the  affections  of  his  love  and 
wisdom  are  in  the  whole  natural  world  ;  but  in  our  world,  which  is 
called  the  spiritual  world,  there  are  similar  correspondences  with  those 
who  receive  affections  and  perceptions  from  God ;  the  difference  is, 
that  such  things,  in  our  world,  are  created  by  God  instantaneously, 
according  to  the  affections  of  the  angels  ;    but  in  your  world,  they 
w^ere  created  in  like  manner  at  the  beginning  ;  but  it  was  provided, 
that,  by  generations  of  one  from  another,  they  should  be  perpetually 
renewed,  and  thus  that  creation  should  be  continued.      The  reason 
why  creation,  in  our  world,  is  instantaneous,  and  in  yours  continued 
by  generations,  is,  because  the  atmospheres  and  earths  of  our  world 
are  spiritual,  and  the  atmospheres  and  earths  of  your  world  are  natural; 
and  natural  things  were  created  that  they  might  clothe  spiritual  things', 
as  the  skin  clothes  the  bodies  of  men  and  animals,  and  the  rind  and 
bark  clothes  the  trunks  and  branches  of  trees,  the  maters  and  meninges 
the  brain,  the  coats    the   nerves,  and  the  delicate   membranes    the 
nervous  fibres,  &c.     Thence  it  is,  that  all  those  things  which  are  in 
your  world  are  constant,  and  constantly  return  every  year.' 

"  After  this  we  talked  upon  various  subjects,  and  at  last  concerning 
hell  ;  as  that  no  such  things  as  are  in  heaven  appear  there,  but  only 
the  opposites  ;  since  the  affections  of  their  love,  which  are  the  lusts 
of  evil,  are  opposite  to  the  affections  of  the  love  in  which  the  angels 
of  heaven  are.  Wherefore,  with  those  in  hell,  and  generally  in  their 
deserts,  there  appear  birds  of  night,  as  bats  and  various  kinds  of  owls, 
and  also  wolves,  leopards,  tigers,  rats,  and  mice  ;  moreover,  venomous 
serpents  of  every  kind,  such  as  dragoi^  and  crocodiles  ;  and  where 
there  is  any  spot  of  grass,  there  grow  briers,  nettles,  thorns  and  this- 
tles, and  some  poisonous  plants,  which  at  times  vanish,  and  then 
appear  only  heaps  of  stones,  and  bogs  in  which  frogs  croak.  All 
these  things  are  also  correspondences,  but  as  was  said,  correspond- 
ences of  the  affections  of  their  love,  which  are  the  lusts  of  evil 

T.  C.  R.  n.  IS— Mem.  Rel. 

Again,  in  the  Apocalypse  Explained,  n.  1212  : 

*' Vegetables  in  the  heavens  appear  according  to  the  affections  of 


SWEDENBORG'S    MEMORABILIA. 


.,  ^  307 

wie  angels,  and  also  represent  fho«A  affi.  ♦• 
as  in  their  types,  the  angels  LeaL^.t  '"'°"'"'='*' "'''' '»  t^em, 
their  nature  and  quality  thev  are  ,.  '  .  '"  ?"  ''''''=''°'>«  ^  t° 
changes  of  the  affections'.  I^  Z  ht°  "f  ""'""'''^S  ">  ^^e 
animals,  and  similar  vegetables  but  .rrTn^'^  "PP^"'  ''^''"t'''"' 
vegetables  also  similar!  and  an'^e,"  ^nd  t  ""7"^  animals,  and 

qualities  distinguished  from  Zl  '^"'^  ^'^  '"'°^n'  a»d  their 

like  manner  from  the  ^^pLlteT oTZ'"  °'  m^  ''"''"^'^'  ^'^  '» 
nary  concordance  with  theTr  affectTon/     h  "'S''^^^''  '  there  is  a  pie- 
can  be  changed  into  a  Zoo'dtTylt"^  hT  ""''  '"'  ""^'  ^"  «-"•"! 
concordant  animal.     The  r.et  of  hf       '.l""'*  ^  "'^"'^'''^  '"»<>  a 
affection  is  represented  in  one  and    he    If"     "°";  ^"^  P^'"'^'P'«  or 
also  perceived,  that  it  is  sTmilar  in  h  T'  '  '"'  '  '"''"  ^^"'''  =">d 
granted  me  to  know  maniSl  thl  en        ""T     ^'  ^''  "'^^  "een 
animals  but  also  of  the  veg  Ses  tvi  h  tf ''"''  "°*  ""'^  °'  'he 
with  the  societies  of  hell  fhls  ifth    h  .'*'l.^°'='^"««  °f  heaven,  and 
affections  i„  the  spiritu"/ ltd  ^  kl  .'L'^^^H^r"-"  f •  ^''r"^^  ^°'' 

--.  to  their  o^,^^n;^-s:i:^^^^^  -;s:;:t 

Again,  m  the  treatise  on  Heaven  and  Hell,  n.  170-175  • 

thaTweTirySiigt  £e'r  T'-'  '''''  —  --P-'>end 
this  because  from  th!t  light  I "aTtt 'l"'"^';'' '"  the  world,  and 
that  the  angels  are  only  nfnds  and  th  t  ^  .  ""'  '"'"'"''"^  ^"•^''^^' 
spectres,  and  hence  thai  thev  have  nt  "  "''  "'  ''  ''"''^'  ethereal 

eyes,  and  if  not  eyes,  neither  oblectT  f'"'!'  "'  """  '''''  '"^  "^'ther 
ail  the  senses  that  mln  has  vea  1     u    "       '  ^"  ""^"'^  ''^^^ 

by  which  they  see.  is  L:7r;Ct.Z:  ^^t  \  '''  ''''  ^'^°' 
"  But  the  thin<r,  whi.l.  ^^^  ^^  '''^'"^  "an  sees. 

part  they  ar?:i:ii::rthr ::hr a^eT^  ti'  '''°r '- '-  -- 

not  similar  as  to  essence;  for  the  thw/\  u  '"'"'' ''^^^  they  are 
exist  from  the  sun  of  heaven  and  1°  ^  l'^  "'  '"  '^'  '''^^«"« 
the  sun  of  the  world  •  the  thtl     I  T  ""•'""'  ""  °"  "^e  earth  from 

are  called  ^piritual.ttl  rfhilh'SisTfrU'th  '''  ^""  °^  '^^'^^ 
are  called  natural.  ^  ^'''''^  ^^^  ^^n  of  the  world 

"  The  thinors  which  pvlcf  ,*«  +u     l 
manner  as  th'ose  wh  ch  ex  st  n  tt  ^T"'  '^°  "°'  ^^'^' '«  the  same 
exist  from   the  Lord,  acco  d  ^^  t^th  ""'  ^'"'"^^  '"  '^'  '"^""ens 

riors  of  the  angels  ;  for  the  S^s  t  'TT"'^''''''  """^  ^^e  inte- 
the  things  which  ar;  in  their  intSors  n  T  '"'"""'^  ^"'^  ^^'«"°^«  : 
to  the  will  and  understand  "fo  "the  w  ir  H  '°  f'  '"'  '''''''  ^''"^  *" 
-eptacles  ;  but  the  exterifr;  Itp^j  tTthrSrf^  ''''''' 


308 


SWEDKNBORG  S    MEMORABILIA. 


"  Since  all  things  which  correspond  to  the  interiors  also  represent 
them,  therefore  they  are  called  representatives  ;  and  because  they 
are  varied  according  to  the  state  of  the  interiors  v^^ith  them,  therefore 
they  are  called  appearances  ;  although  the  things  which  appear 
before  the  eyes  of  the  angels  in  the  heavens,  and  are  perceived  by 
their  senses,  appear  and  are  perceived  as  much  to  the  life  as  the  things 
which  are  on  the  earth  appear  to  man  ;  yea,  much  more  clearly,  dis- 
tinctly, and  perceptibly.  The  appearances  which  are  thence  in  the 
heavens,  are  called  real  appearanceSy  because  they  exist  really  :  there 
are  also  given  appearances  not  real,  which  are  those  things  which 
indeed  appear,  but  do  not  correspond  to  the  interiors  ;  but  of  these  in 
what  follows. 

"  To  show  what  those  things  are  which  appear  to  the  angels  accord- 
ing to  correspondences,  I  will  here  adduce  one  thing  for  the  sake  of 
illustration.  To  those  who  are  in  intelligence,  there  appear  gardens 
and  paradises,  full  of  trees  and  flowers  of  every  kind ;  the  trees  there 
are  planted  in  the  most  beautiful  order,  combined  into  arbors,  through 
which  are  arched  entrances,  and  around  which  are  walks  ;  all  of  such 
beauty  that  they  cannot  be  described.  Those  who  are  in  intelligence 
also  walk  there,  and  gather  flowers,  and  weave  garlands,  with  which 
they  adorn  infants  :  there  are  also  species  of  trees  and  flowers  there, 
no  where  seen  nor  given  in  the  world :  on  the  trees  also  there  are 
fruits,  according  to  the  good  of  love,  in  which  the  intelligent  are. 
They  see  such  things  because  a  garden  and  a  paradise,  and  also  fruit- 
trees  and  flowers,  correspond  to  intelligence  and  wisdom.  That  such 
things  are  in  the  heavens,  is  also  known  in  the  earth,  but  only  to 
those  who  are  in  good,  and  who  have  not  extinguished  in  themselves 
the  light  of  heaven  by  natural  light  and  its  fallacies  ;  for  they  think 
and  say,  when  speaking  of  heaven,  that  such  things  are  there  as  the 
ear  hath  not  heard,  nor  the  eye  see?i,^^ 

One  thing,  which  can  hardly  fail  to  strike  the  mind  of  eveiy 
person  on  first  reading  these  passages,  is  the  author's  perfect  con- 
sistency. They  are  taken,  as  will  be  seen,  from  different  works, 
between  the  publication  of  which,  some  years  intervened.  And 
although  the  language  varies,  the  same  idea  or  principle"  is  repeated 
in  each. 

From  these  extracts,  as  well  as  from  other  parts  of  his  writings, 
we  learn  that  all  things  which  appear  in  the  spiritual  world  are 
spiritual,  because  from  a  spiritual  origin;  and  that  the  things 
which  appear  in  the  heavens  represent,  by  correspondence,  the 
affections  and  consequent  thoughts  of  the  angels  ;  and  those  which 
appear  in  the  hells,  the  affections  and  consequent  thoughts  of  the 
devils  ;  and  that  thus  both  angels  and  devils  behold  in  the  objects 


SWEDEJJBORG'S    MEMORABILIA.  ^09 

around  them  the  types  of  their  own  affections.     The  things  with^ 

therefore,  becausfthdr  iTr  ''  Principles.     The  angels, 

around  tLm  mos   £utif^^^^^^^^^      '''r^  '^'  ^"^^^^"^>  ^^^^^^ 

contrary  are  surrounded  by  hideous  and  oZ;-    ■^\"  ^^^^^^^^  '^^ 
these  are  the  corresponden't  flsTthf^^^^^^^^^ 
where  taught  by  Swedenborc  ihat  n.  ,  "  '*  *^^^*^- 

the  paradisaica/thbS  aroufd  th-      I  '"°'''  T  '''^'^hted  with 
in  genuine  love  andtJii  J  ^'''*"''  ^^'^  ^'^  P""«ipl<^d 

thifgs  within  the"  nf  srLTr"  'r  f  "'^'  "^  *•' - 

was  instructing  '^eruZ^'ltt^'^l'ZirtC^^^^  f" 
world  about  heayenly  lev   sav  •  >'fh.iT^r  ^  'P'"'*'*' 

things  of  heaven)  Jenl'Zl '    i  ^  ^^  ^'^  '■'  '^^  '"'^gnificent 

are  Attended  ikl   internal  nln    TTrf  '^'^'S'''''  ""'^^  ^^ese. 

gardens,  from  which  the  angSsTerTveTv  Tnd".  7"'  '"f""^ 
J  deligbt  of  the  soul,  so  fark ^^J:^^-^''^^ O  iTs  )' 
And  thus,  as  our  author  says  in  another  place,^"  every  one  who 

chaTi  te  'r?°"; ","  ""i";"  "■•' '"" '-» -''«• '!»'  "."•. 

cnange  m  the  spiritual  world,   accordJno-  qg  fi,^     «•    .•  ^ 

thoughts  of  its  inhabitants  change  so  that  in  the  he  ""  '""^ 
count  of  the  change  in  the  state's  ofVellZXtT^'Zr 
|n  the  appearance  of  the  objects  around  them!  ires^on  nVto  Z 
p^easmg  vanety  which  is  caused  by  the  changes  of  Te taCns  in 
indd  lat,  udes  upon  earth.  And  thus  it  is  a  kw  of  divine  order  n 
the  sp,ntual  as  well  as  in  the  natural  world  that  "seld  til  ^ 
harv    t       ,  ,,,,  ,„,  ,^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^^^  anVw    ter  :„;";  l^ 

"  fre  for  tts  e  d  TT"  " '''''''  ^^-^-'"  ^^^  SwedenC 
«nH   I      K  '    u'' '"'°  ™"y  ^'  '"^'•^  «nd  more  perfected  and 

and  thereby  may  be  rendered  more  and  more  hannv  S,!^i: 
changes  take  place  in  the  regenerate  man,  nofo  y  duS  his  S 
■n  the  body,  but  also  when  he  comes  into  the  other  life ;  for  without 


310 


swedenborg's  memorabilia. 


changes,  as  it  were  of  summer  and  winter  as  to  things  of  the  will, 
and  as  it  were  of  day  and  night,  as  to  things  of  the  understanding, 
he  is  never  perfected  and  rendered  more  happy.  These  chan<»-es, 
however,  in  another  hfe,  are  like  the  changes  of  summer  and  win- 
ter in  the  temperate  zones,  and  like  the  changes  of  day  and  nioht 
in  the  spring  season." — A,  C.  n.  935. 

We  thus  find  that  the  law  of  correspondence  between  internal 
and  external  things,  which  is  the  same  as  between  cause  and  effect, 
is  beautifully  exemplified  in  the  accounts  which  Swedenborg,  in  his 
Memorabilia,  has  given  us  of  things  in  the  spiritual  world.  And  if 
this  be  a  fixed  and  eternal  law  of  order,  as  I  endeavored  to  show 
in  a  former  lecture,  it  ought  to  prevail  in  the  spiritual  as  well  as  in 
the  natural  world.  And  inasmuch  as  that  world  is  above,  or  inte- 
rior to  the  natural,  we  ought  there  to  find  the  most  complete  exem- 
phfication  of  this  law. 

It  appears  perfectly  reasonable,  too,  that  the  things  round  about 
angels  and  spirits  should  correspond  to  the  state  of  their  minds, 
and  be  the  exact  representative  images  of  their  affections.  Indeed, 
there  is  something  that  we  all  have  experienced  in  this  natural 
world,  which  may  be  regarded  as  an  approximation  toward  the 
same  thing.  Every  one  knows  how  the  world  without  him  appears 
to  change  its  aspect,  according  as  the  world  within  him  chano-es. 
When  the  bosom  glows  with  sweet  affections,  the  face  of  nature  is 
redolent  with  smiles  and  beauty,  and  everything  seems  full  of 
gladness.  But  when  the  soul  is  sad  and  gloomy,  the  same  brifdit 
face  of  nature  scowls,  and  all  things  wear  a  mournful  aspect. 
Truly  the  poet  sings  : 

"  The  rill  is  tuneless  to  his  ear,  who  feels 
No  harmony  within  ;  the  south  wind  steals 
As  silent  as  unseen  among  tlie  leaves. 
Who  has  no  inward  beauty,  none  perceives, 

Though  all  around  is  beautiful. 

«         «  «         »         »        «         » 

Turn  where  thou  wilt,  thyself  in  all  things  see 
Reflected  back." 

But  on  account  of  the  greater  fixedness  of  things  in  the  natural 
world,  this  outward  change,  produced  by  a  change  in  the  state  of 
our  own  minds,  is  only  apparent,  not  absolute,  as  it  is  in  the  spir- 
itual world. 

It  has  been  repeatedly  said  in  the  course  of  these  lectures,  that 


swedenborg's  memorabilia.  31  j 

[hrnfrl  ^"'^'r''  '""'^'"^  ^°  '°'^™^'  ^«"««  "^"d  is  composed 
throughout  according  to  correspondences.     Therefore  every  natu- 
ral  object  and  event  mentioned  in  Scripture,  is  the   ultimate"  of 
some  spiritual  prmciple  or  law  with   which  it  corresponds.     Ta- 
kmg  this  m  connection  with  what  Swedenborg  has  said  concerning 
correspondences  and  representatives  in  the  spiritual  world    we  ar"^ 
nve  at  a  naost  beautiful  method  of  verifying  the  truth  of  his  Mem- 
orable Relations  ;  or  of  establishing,  at  least,  so  high  a  de..ree  of 
probab.Lty  w,th  regard  to  their  truth,  as  an.ounts  to  absolute  cer- 
tamty.     And  I  can  no  more  conceive  how  a  man  can  become  ac- 
quam ted  w.th  the  law  of  correspondence,  and  learn  sufficient  of 
the  internal  sense  of  the  Scripture  as  developed  by  this  law,  to  en- 
able him  rightly  to  understand  the  Memorable  Relations,  and  ther 
doubt  the  truth  of  these  Relations,  than  I  can  conceive  how  an  in- 
habitant of  some  other  planet  could  become  acquainted  with  the 
laws  of  nature  or  the  principles  of  natural  philosophy  which  have 
been  developed  on  our  earth,  and  then  doubt  the  fads,  from  the 
observation  of  which  these  laws  or  principles  have  been  deduced 
and  upon  which  the  philosophy  rests.     So  completely  do  the  Mem- 
orable Relations,  and  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Scripture  as  de- 
veloped by  the  Science  of  Correspondences,  agree  together,  that 
hey  mutually  strengthen  and  confirm  each  other.     I  ^U  endeavor 
to  make  this  plainer  by  means  of  a  few  illustrations. 

It  is  to  be  observed  that  the  Memorabilia  of  Swedenborcr  are  a 
collection  of  facts,  apparently  without  any  order,  and  gathered  ac- 
cording to  h,s  own  account,  from  actual  observation  of  thin<rs  in 
the  spiritual  world.     And  we  are  told  that  all  outward  things  be- 
longmg  to  that  world  are  correspondences  ;- that  they  corre^spond 
to  the  interior  things,  appertaining  to  the  minds  of  spirits  and  an- 
gels.    We  are  also  told  that  every  natural  thing  mentioned  in  the 
bcripture,  corresponds  to  something  spiritual  belonging  to  the  mind 
and  therefore  has  an  internal  or  spiritual  sense.     Now  let  us  see 
whether  the   persons  in   the  spiritual  world,  in  whose  vicinity 
according  to  Swedenborg's  Relations,  there  appeared  certain  ob- 
jects are  invariably  described  as  being  of  that  quality,  which  he 
has  elsewhere  given  as  the  internal  sense  of  those  objects,  when 
«iey  are  mentioned  in  Scripture.     For,  according  to  tL  extracts 
aleady  given  in  this  lecture,  we  see  that  such  should  be  the  case, 
If  the  Memorable  Relations  be  true.     And  we  shall  find,  on  carefu 
examinaUon,  that  this  is  really  so,  in  such  a  degree,  too,  as  utterly 
to  preclude  the  possibility  of  either  imposture  or  delusion  ' 


312 


swedenborg's  memorabilia. 


On   referring  to  the  Dictionary  of   Correspondences,  compiled 
from  the  theological  works  of  Swedenborg,  we  find  it  said  that 
owls  denote  truths  falsified,  and  hats  denote  nearly  the  same  thino- 
But  neither   truth  nor  falsity  hath  any   existence  out  of,  or  ab- 
stracted from,  persons.     Consequently  both  mvls  and  hats  corre- 
spond to,  and  thence  signify,  the  states  of  mind  of  those  who  have 
so  confii-med  themselves  in  error,  that  they  have  at  length  come 
to  see  the  talse  as  the  true— to  see  darkness  as  light.     Such  per- 
sons often  think  they  perceive  truth  even  more  clearly  than  others. 
But  It  is  not  the  light  of  genuine  truth  by  which  they  see,  but  of 
truth  falsified,  which  is  the  light  of  infatuation.     Speakino-  of  such 
persons,  Swedenborg  says  :  ^ 

"  The  falses  of  their  faith  do  not  indeed  appear  before  them  as  dark- 
ness,  that  is,  as  falses,  but  they  appear  to  them  as  if  lucid,  that  is,  as 
If  they  were  truths,  after  they  have  confirmed  themselves  in  them  • 
out  nevertheless  while  they  are  viewed  from  the  light  of  heaven,  which 
discovers  all  things,  they  appear  dark.  The  reason  why  they  do  not 
appear  to  themselves  to  be  in  darkness,  but  in  the  light,  althouo-h  they 
are  in  falses,  is  because  their  falses,  after  confirmation,  appear  to  them 
as  truths;  hence  comes  their  light,  but  it  is  the  light  of  infatuation, 
such  as  is  the  light  of  the  confirmation  of  what  is  false.  This  light 
corresponds  to  that  to  which  owls  and  bats  owe  their  light,  to  whom 
darkness  is  light  and  light  darkness,  yea  to  whom  the  sun  itself  is 
thick  darkness."— A.  R.,  695. 

Nothing  could  be  more  reasonable  than  this.  We  know  that 
men,  through  a  blind  surrender  of  their  understanding  in  the  first 
mstance,  may  at  length  confirm  themselves  in  false  doctrines  to 
such  a  degree,  that  these  doctrines  will  appear  to  them  true  and 
true  doctrines  will  appear  to  them  false.  How  often  do  men  become 
so  confirmed  in  the  doctrines  of  the  tri-personahty  of  God,  vicari- 
ous atonement,  and  justification  by  faith  alone,  as  to  see  these  falsi- 
ties as  truths,  by  a  kind  of  fatuous  light;  and  whatever  is  contrary 
io  them  appears  as  darkness.  Hence  the  great  danger  in  blindly 
iurrendering  one's  understanding  to  his  faith  ! 

Now,  because  owls  and  hats  correspond  to  persons  who  are  in 
the  state  of  mind  just  described,  therefore,  whenever  they  are  men- 
tioned m  the  Scripture,  they  signify  such  persons,  or  such  mental 
states.  Hence  in  Isaiah  (ch.  xxxiv.)  it  is  said  with  reference  to 
the  church  destroyed  by  falsifying  the  truth,  that  it  shall  be  -  a 
court  for  owls"  —  that  -  the  screech-owl  also  shall  rest  there,"  and 
"there  shall  the  great  owl  make  her  nest ;"  which  words  denote 
that  there  will  be  in  the  church,  at  the  time  of  its  consummation 


SWEDENBORG'S    MEMORABILIA.  3^3 

each  one  Jor  ,i..e,f  to  .ors.ip.  to  L  ::^l^i'ZZ^:, 

!X  L/     t  "{  ''^'"'  ""^^"''^  •^'-■"^'^  ^a™"s  false  doctrines  • 

ott  t".       ""ur'  r -^"^  ''""'^^  "^  --'">.  denotes  I; 
ono,n  m  man  s  self-denved  intelligence,  and  his  adorin-r  love  of 

hem  •  and  by  the.r  being  ca,(  to  the  moles  and  to  the  bats  °as  in  the 

last  days  of  the  Old  and  the  commencement  of  a  NewChurch 

who  have  r'      '"  '"'''"r  ^■'"  ""'  P"-'"«^  *°  --in  "iTh  'aU 
who  have  become  so  confirmed  in  them  as  to  see  the  false  a.  .hi 

true;  but  .ill  be  utterly  rejected  by  those  whos!  m  nds  are  lo 

closed  agamst  the  tntth  through  a  confirmation  of  the  false 

enctl;dTtf  7  ""  """"'  '"'•'"'"  ^"'^  "'  ''''  '^^  ''  «'^--PonJ- 
determ  aed  by  this  law,  we  should  expect  that  owls  and  bats  on 
account  o  then-  correspondence,  would  be  seen  in  the  vicin ^  of 
persons  who  have  confirmed  themselves  in  false  doctrines  to  suJh  a 
degree  that  they  appear  to  them  true.  Accordingly,  we  are  told 
m  one  of  Swedenborg's  Memorama,  that  he  once  sk  v  in  the  spi 

W  nJ      "f "  r""^  ""'^'^  coKptRMATOKs,  who  main  abd 

hat  nothing  is  true  but  what  man  makes  true-that  they  were  able 

to  confirm  opposites-that  they  could  make  it  true  tl.at  lio-ht  is 

darkness  and  darkness  light,  and  could  prove  that  a  crow  is  ^^  t" 

lit  ;  fr  ''  ""  ^*'^''°"  ^'-  ^"^'-r  t«"^  -.  that  a    he 

looked  toward  the  assembly  where  the  confirmators  were  standin" 
and  the  crowd  around  them  were  shouting,  O  how  wise/  "Behofd 
a  dusky  cloud  covered  them  over,  and  in  the  cloud  ou'/s  and  bats 
we  e  fly mg.        A  dusky  cloud  denotes  the  Word  as  it  is  in  the  sense 

(sleA^Tr^ll^""  '''"  ''""  <=onfi™ed  themselves  in  falses. 

The  things  here  seen  by  Swedenborg,  then,  were  just  what  we 
should  have  expected-precisely  what  ou^ht  to  hnve  been  seen 
according  to  the  immutable  law  of  correspondence,  when  we  con-' 
sider  the  quality  or  state  of  mind  of  the  persons  here  described. 
The  owls,  bats,  and  the  cloud  in  which  they  were  seen  flying,  were 
all  of  hem  correspondences,  and  thence  appearances  of  those 
persons  thoughts.  And  nothing,  certainly,  could  be  more  reason- 
able, than  that  the  confirmations  of  falsities  to  such  a  degree  that 
they  appear  as  truths,  should  be  represented  in  the  .spiritual  world 


314 


SWEDENBORG*S    MEMORABILIA. 


under  the  forms  of  birds  of  night,  whose  eyes  are  illumined  bv  a 
fatuous  Hght  within,  from  which  they  see  objects  in  darkness,  and 
think  their  darkness  hght.  For  such  fatuous  mental  light  is  with 
those  who  contirm  falses  until  they  appear  to  thein  as  truths,  and 
are  therefore  said  and  believed  to  be  truths. 

Again  :  Swedenborg  tells  us  that  there  are  zones  and  climates 
in  the  spiritual  world,  but  that  the  state  of  temperature  wherein 
each  one  lives,  corresponds  to  his  own  internal  state,  or  to  the 
quality    and    degree    of  his  love.     If  one   has    much    love    of  a 
heavenly  quality,  then  he  is  in  a  state  of  spiritual  heat  to  which 
natural  heat  corresponds  :  and  if  he  has  but  little  of  heavenly  love, 
then  his  state  is  one  to  which  natural  cold  corresponds  —  he  is 
spiritually  cold.     Indeed  almost  every  one  has  a  perception  of  the 
correspondence  of  natural   with   spiritual   heat  and  cold ;  so  that 
nothing  is  more  common  than  for  people  to  pray  that  God  would 
warm  their  hearts  with  love ;  and  in  ftimiliar  discourse,  too,  it  is 
often  said  of  one  who  has  much  affection,  that  he  is  warrti-hearted, 
and  of  another  who  has  but  little  affection,  that  he  is  cold-hearted. 
Hence  the  Lord  says  to  the  Church  of  the  Laodiceans,  **  I  know 
thy  works,  that  thou  art  neither  cold  nor  hot :  I  would  thou  wert 
cold  or  hot.     So  then  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and  neither  cold 
nor  hot,   I  will  spew  thee  out  of  my  mouth"  (Rev.  iii.  15,  16): 
where  cold  and  hot  evidently  have  a  spiritual  signification,  bein^*- 
predicated  of  the  Church.     But  these   words,  like   most  others 
which  occur  in  the  Scripture,  are  sometimes  used  in  an  opposite 
sense,  in  which  they  signify  infernal  heat  and   cold,  or  the  loves 
and  hatreds  of  hell.     Those  who  are  much  in  the  evil  of  self-love, 
are  in  this  opposite  kind  of  spiritual  heat,  which  in  the  Word,  is 
called  hell-fire  ;  and  those  who  are  in  hatred  toward  the  neighbor, 
or  in  no  charity,  and  at  the  same  time  in  false  doctrines,  are  in  this 
opposite  kind  of  spiritual  cold. 

Now  since  the  zones  of  the  earth  differ  in  respect  to  tempera- 
ture, it  is  manifest  that  they  also  should  correspond  to  the  different 
states  of  man  as  to  love.  Those  regions  which  are  furthest  from 
the  equator,  or  furthest  from  the  sun,  since  they  are  the  coldest, 
ought  to  correspond  to  the  states  of  least  love  or  charity  ;  and  in 
a  bad  sense,  they  ought  to  denote  the  state  of  mind  with  those 
who  are  in  false  doctrines  and  at  the  same  time  in  no  charity. 
Such  persons  might  be  said,  in  the  spiritual  sense,  to  dwell  far  at 
the  north  —  in  the  frigid  zone  —  because  their  state  is  a  frigid  one. 
And  if  all  things  in  the  spiritual  world  correspond  to  the  states  of 


SWEDENBORg's    memorabilia.  3J5 

those  there,  as  Swedenborg  says,  then  we  should  expect  that  such 
persons,  seen  in  the  spiritual  world,  would  appear  to  be  dwellino- 
in  a  frozen  region,  because  this  would  correspond  to  their  internal 
state.     This  is  a  rational  view  of  the  subject. 

And  on  turning  to  the  Dictionary  of  Correspondences,  we  find 
that  the  yiorth,  in  a  bad  sense,  corresponds  to,  and  signifies,  the 
state  of  those  who  are  in  hell,  or  who  are  in  falses  of"" faith 'and 
consequently  in  no  charity.     (See  Ap.  Ex.  n.  817,  and  A.  '(7  n 
3708.)     When  used  in  the  Word  in  this  sense,  accordinrr  to  Swe- 
denborg, It  denotes  a  state  of  spiritual  obscurity  and  "coldness 
such  as  those  are  in  who  have  not  Hved  a  life  of  charity  —  who 
have  been  indolent  about  spiritual  things,  and  indifferent  in  regard 
to  truth.      Accordingly,   in  one  of  his   Memorabilia,  the    author 
speaks  of  seeing  some  such   persons  in  the  spiritual  world,  who 
were  in  a  false  faith  and  without  charity,  consequently  who  were 
m  a  frigid  state  of  mind.     And  he  describes  the  country  where 
they  hved,  as  being  bound  up  with  ice,  and  covered  with  snow 
and  all  the  waters  congealed.     And  on  the  day  of  their  worship' 
he  says  that  he  saw  some  engaged  in  di^^in^  away  the  snow  around 
their  temple,  and  preparing  an  entrance  for  the  worshipers.     And 
their  temple  was  illuminated  with  lamps  and  candles.     Lamps  and 
candles,  m  a  bad  sense,  denote  the  lumen  of  self-intelligence.— 
T.  C.  M.  n.  1 85. 

Here  again  we  have  a  complete  exemplification  of  the  immutable 
law  of  correspondence. 

Again  :  we  learn  from  the  Dictionary  of  Correspondences,  that 
by  a  mill,  and  grinding  at  a  mill,  when  used  in  a  good  sense,  is 
denoted  examination  and  confirmation  of  spiritual  truth  from  the 
Word  ;  but  in  the  opposite  and  bad  sense,  it  denotes  the  mental 
operation  in  those  who  labor  to  collect  passages  from  the  Word,  in 
order  to  confirm  doctrines  that  are  false.     Hence  the  Lord,  speak- 
ing of  the  consummation  of  the  age,  or  end  of  the  first  Christian 
Church,  says  :  -  Two  women   shall  be  grinding  at  the  mill ;  the 
one  shall  be  taken  and  the  other  shall  be  left."     (Matt,  xxiv.^l.) 
''  By  the  two  women  grinding  at  the  mill,''  says  Swedenborg,  ''  are 
meant  those  who  confirm  themselves  in  truths,  and  those  who  con- 
firm themselves  in  falses  from  the  Word  ;  they  who  confirm  them- 
selves  in  truths,  are  meant  by  her  who  shall  be  taken,  and  they 
who  confirm  themselves  in  falses,  by  her  who  shall  be  left."— ^» 
£x.  n.  1182.  ^  ' 

Now,  agreeably  to  the  great  law  of  correspondence,  we  should 


316 


tsWEDE^'BORG  a    MEMORABILIA. 


expect,  from  the  internal  sense  here  given  of  grinding  at  a  mill, 
tliat  the  operation  of  the  minds  of  those  in  the  spiritual  world,  who 
are  engaged  in  collecting  passages  from  the  Word  serviceable  to 
confirm  their  doctrine,  would  be  heard  at  a  distance  as  the  sound 
of  a  mill.  Accordingly  our  author  tells  us,  in  another  of  his 
Memorabilia^  that  he  once  heard,  in  the  spiritual  world,  a  sound 
like  that   of  a  mill  ;  and  it  was  in  the  northern  region  of  it. 

"  Wherefore,"  he  says,  *'  I  went  up  to  the  place  where  the  sound 
was  heard,  and  when  I  was  near,  the  sound  ceased  ;  and  then  I  saw  a 
kind  of  arched  roof  above  the  ground,  the  entrance  to  which  was 
through  a  cave ;  and  on  seeing  which,  I  descended  and  entered  ;  and 
behold  there  was  a  vault  in  which  I  saw  an  old  man  sitting  amongst 
books,  holding  before  him  the  Word,  and  searching  in  it  for  thincr^ 
serviceable  for  his  doctrine.  Little  scraps  of  paper  lay  around,  or 
which  he  wrote  what  w^as  serviceable  to  his  purpose.  I  inquired  first 
concerning  the  books  around  him.  He  said  that  they  all  treated  con- 
cerning JUSTIFYING  FAITH.  And  he  added  that  in  various  points  they 
differ,  but  in  the  article  concerning  justification,  and  salvation  by  faith 
alone,  they  all  agree.  Afterward  he  said  that  he  was  now  collectino- 
from  the  Word  this  first  article  of  justifying  faith,  that,  God  the  Father 
fell  out  of  favor  toward  mankind  on  account  of  their  iniquities  ;  and 
that,  therefore,  in  order  to  save  men,  there  was  a  divine  necessity  that 
satisfaction,  reconciliation,  propitiation,  and  mediation,  should  be  made 
by  some  one,  who  should  take  upon  himself  the  sentence  of  justice, 
and  that  this  could  not  possibly  have  been  done  but  by  His  only  Son  ; 
and  that,  after  this  was  done,  a  way  of  access  was  opened  to  God  the 
Father  for  his  sake."— T.  C.  R.  n.  164. 

In  this,  as  in  the  other  instances,  the  law  of  correspondence  is 
beautifully  exemplified.  The  sound  that  Swedenborg  heard,  was 
precisely  what  might  have  been  anticipated,  when  we  reflect  upon 
the  occupation  of  the  person  here  mentioned,  and  upon  the  spir- 
itual sense  of  grinding  at  a  7nill,  as  given  by  the  author  himself  in 
his  exposition  of  the  text  wherein  it  occurs. 

Again  :  we  learn  from  the  Dictionary  of  Correspondences,  that 
s/teep  correspond  to,  and  thence  signify, ^the  goods  of  charity,  or 
all  persons  who  are  in  the  good  of  charity  and  thence  in  faith. 
Consequently  they  denote  all  those,  in  whose  minds  faith  and 
charity  are  so  united  as  to  form  a  one.  But  goats  correspond  to, 
and  thence  signify,  those  who  separate  charity  from  faith,  or  who 
believe  that  truth  alone,  without  a  life  according  to  it,  will  save 
man.  Such  are  those  who  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  justification 
by  faith  alone. 


SWEDENBORG 'S    MEMORABILIA.  3^7 

g-veth  h,s  l.fe  for  the  sheep."  (John  :.   n.)     And  aZin    '  T  ll 
them   and  they  follow  me."  (v.  15,  27.)     It  must  be  evident  to 

tit  th  V  7  Tu  '"*  '^  ""^'^^^'^'^'^  •"  '"^^  «'-^I  sense      And 
hat    1  ey  s.jjn.fy  all  persons  who  are  in  charity  or  the  good  of 

know  them.  .,...,  Ai^^^^^T^^^^I^^ZZ:;^^ 

means  to  g.ve  attention  to  the  truth  of  his  Holy  Word    and  1  // 

o.  B.n  signifies  to  do  the  truth  :-to  shun  e'n^oltuilt^ 

mus  It  is  to     tollow  Him  m  the  regeneration." 
In  another  place   we  read  of  two  classes  of  persons    one  of 

Tott  ^i;d"f  r'  I'^^'i"'  °^  '^^'^''^-'^  ^-'  -"'he  oth 
not  so.     And  of  these  two  classes  of  persons  it  is  said  •  "  When 

the  Son  o    Man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  Z.Z 

with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory  ■  \Zbe. 

fore  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations  :  and  He  shall  separate  them 

one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  the  sheep  from  tie  ,ats 

left      Tht    hi;  T  V  "^  "''  ""'  "»"'^*  '''^''  ^-'^^^  ^°«^   on  ^e 
left.     Then  shaU  the  kmg  say  to  them  on  the  right  hand.  Come  ve 

blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 
nteMrrnd   i'^  world.-Then  shall  H^e  say  also  ulS 
ZZ    ff      f' ,     f     ^'■°"'  ""^^  y"  """-^^d,  into  everlastino-  fire 
P-epared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  (Matt.  xxv.  31-42  )    Thl't 

truth  T       U  "'f  ^^'^^  ''^""'^  *''''^^  "l^"  '-  good  accordin.     to 
ruth,  thus  all  in  whom  charity  and  faith  are  unLd,  and  the  ooat 

hose  who  are  not  in  the  good  of  life,  thus  all  who  a  e  in  faJ tl  " 
arate  from  charity,  is  very  evident  from  the  deeds  of  char^mej 
t.*ned  m  the  content,  which,  it  is  said,  the  .keep  had  pSormeJ 
but  the  goats  had  not.  p^normea, 

ias  Sen  r;,,  the  spiritual  signification  which  Swedenborg 

has  given  to  them.     And  from  what  has  been  said  of  correspond 
ences  and  representatives  in  the  other  world,  we  should  expe  HEat 

cribed   wTul  r        ?'°"  °'  *'"  '"'  '''''  •'^  P—  -bove  de 
scnbed,  would  sometimes  appear  there  under  the  external  form  of 


318 


BWEDENBORG  S    MEMORABILIA. 


sheep;  and  the  interiors  of  the  other  class,  under  the  form  oi goats. 
This  ought  to  be  the  case,  if  these  words  have  the  spiritual  mean- 
ing which  Swedenborg  has  given  to  them,  and  if  what  we  have 
said  of  correspondences  in  the  spiritual  world  be  true. 

Accordingly  our  Seer  relates,  that  he  once  saw  in  the  spiritual 
world  two  flocks,  one  of  goats,  and  the  other  of  sheep.  "  Where- 
fore," he  says,  "  I  approached  toward  them,  and  as  I  drew  near, 
the  likenesses  of  animals  disappeared,  and  instead  of  them  were 
seen  men.  And  it  was  shown  that  they  who  formed  the  flock  of 
goats,  were  those  who  had  confirmed  themselves  in  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith  alone  ;  and  they  who  formed  the  flock  of 
sheep,  were  those  who  believed  that  charity  and  faith  are  one,  as 
good  and  truth  are  one."  {A.  R.  Mem.  Rel.  n.  416.)  From  the 
conversation  which  then  followed,  it  is  manifest  that  they  were  of 
such  a  character ;  that  is,  that  one  class,  who  were  at  first  seen 
under  the  representative  image  of  a  fiock  of  goats^  were  in  faith 
alone  ;  and  the  other  class,  whose  interiors  were  representatively 
exhibited  as  sheep,  were  in  faith  united  with  charity.  And 
here  we  have  another  exemplification  of  the  unalterable  law  of 
correspondence. 

Again :  our  author  tells  us  in  various  parts  of  his  writings, 
where  he  unfolds  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word,  that  virgins  cor- 
respond to,  and  signify,  those  who  have  a  genuine  affection  for 
truth  ;  ih?it  fountain  corresponds  to  the  interior  truth  of  the  Word  ; 
hence  drinking  at  a  fountain  corresponds  to  the  reception  of  this 
interior  truth  into  the  mind  ;  and  roses  correspond  to  the  delightful 
state  of  mind  in  which  those  are,  who  love  to  receive  and  live  ac- 
cording to  the  interior  truths  of  wisdom.  The  correspondence  of 
these  words  may  also  be  learned  from  the  Dictionary  of  Corre- 
spondences. Accordingly,  in  one  of  his  Memorabilia,  Swedenborg 
speaks  of  some  women,  who  had  an  affection  for  the  interior  truths 
of  wisdom,  and  were  delighted  with  them  ;  and  he  says,  that  he 
at  first  saw  them  '^sitting  upon  a  rose-bed  at  a  certain  fountain, 
drinking  water '^  And  when  he  approache'cl  them  and  made  inquiry 
whence  they  were  ;  '*  they  said,  We  are  wives,  and  are  here  con- 
versing together  concerning  the  delights  of  conjugial  love  ;  and 
from  much  confirmation  we  conclude,  that  those  delights  are  also 
delights  of  wisdom  ;  which  answer  (says  Swedenborg)  so  delighted 
my  mind,  that  I  seemed  to  myself  to  be  in  the  spirit,  and  thence 
in  perception  more  interiorly  and  brightly  than  on  any  other  occa- 
sion before." — C.  L.  n.  293. 


swedenborg's  memorabilia.  319' 

Again  :  Swedenborg  often  says,  in  his  expositions  of  the  inter 
nal  sense  of  the  Word,  that  garments  correspond  to  the  tru  L    f 
^h  which  clothe  the  goods  of  charity,  or  to' the  thou o-hS  which 
clothe  afi^ections ;  for  a  man's  thoughts  are  alwavs  ina^reemrn^ 

ctth.  "  rT     ?'^  ^"  ^'^  ^^™-^^  -^h  -hich  his  £uon 
clothe  and  adorn  themselves.     Thus  it  is  written  in  Isaiah     'S 
on  thy  beauUful  garments,  0  Jerusalem,  the  holy  c^y  Vlii  f) 
and  m  the  Revelation:  '^  Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Ldis' 

defiled  their  garments  denote  those  wt  hTve  Xlned^I^hf 
Accordir^-ly,  m  a  certain  Memorable  Relation,  w'e  are  tolithi 
"  plendid  garments  interwoven  here  and  therewith  threads  of 
goU»  were  presented  to  certain  persons,  who  thought  andtak 
truly  concerning  the  Divine  Trinity  in  the  Lord  Jesu^s  Christ.  And 
the  angel  who  presented  them  said,  ^'Receive  ye  the  weddinp 
r™;     (r.ai..n.l88.)     These  splendid  ga^errr 
correspondences  of  their  thoughts.     Their  receiving  them   tl  e  e 
fore,  was  a  thing  of  divine  order.     No  others  could  hav'e  been 

Settoft^^^^^^^^^  '-'  perfectly  exemplified  the  immu- 

Swedenborg  says,  that,  when  the  angels  are  in  discourse  upon 
any  subject,  their  ideas  and  discourses  are  often  exhibited  3. 
sentat^^.lg  to  those  in  the  world  of  spirits,  who  are  beneatrorTa 

ZHh'f  r      T'"\  /'^  "'^"^^^^  ^^^^  -^  ^1-^  exhib  ted,  we 
find  that  the  external  forms  under  which  they  are  said  to  appear 

are  mvanably  such  as  are  correspondent  with  the  angelic  ideas  • 
or  sudi  as  they  should  be,  according  to  the  corresp^ondence  of 
hose  things  which  the  Seer  has  given  in  his  expositions  of  Scrip- 
ture. For  example  :  when  unfolding  the  internal  sense  of  the 
Scripture,  he  tells  us  that  a  citg  corresponds  to,  and  signifies  doc- 
tnnals  or  the  Church  as  to  its  doctrinals  of  charit/ and  f:^^. 
And  accordingly  in  one  of  his  Jfemorabilia,  he  says  : 

"When  the  discourse  with  the  angels  is  concernino-  the  doctrinals 
of  chanty  and  faith,  there  sometimes  appears  on  such  occasionTin  an 
inferior  sphere  inhabited  by  a  corresponding  society  of  spirits  the 
Idea  of  a  city  or  of  cities,  with  palaces  therein,  exhibiting  'such  sS 
n  architecture  as  to  beget  astonishment,  so  that  the  beholder  would 
imagine  that  the  very  essence  of  the  architectonic  art  was  there  and 


} 


320 


SWEDENBORO's    MEMORABILIA, 


thence  derived  besides  houses  of  various  appearances  ;  and  what  is 
u-ondertu    ,n  all  and  singular  of  these  things/there  is  not  the  sma  e 

iZt7  T'.  """"'f  !'''"'  P""'^'^'  ""'  ^hat  represents  some- 
what of  angehc  idea  and  discourse :  hence  it  may  appear  what  innu- 
merable thngs  are  contained  therein;  and  also  llj  is  signified  by 
the  c.t,es  described  in  the  Word  as  seen  by  the  prophets,  and  like- 
wise what  by  the  holy  city,  New  Jerusalem  ;  and  what  by  the  cities 
mentioned  ,n  the  prophetic  Word,  viz.,  the  doctrinals  of  charity  and 

_  A-ain  :  in  his  expositions  of  Scripture,  he  tells  us  that  animals 
m  general  correspond  to  celestial  natural  things,  or  the  various 
affections  m  the  natural  degree  of  the  mind  ;  and  that  different 
animals,  according  to  their  nature  and  quality,  correspond  to  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  attections.  Accordingly  we  read  in  the  Arcana 
Coelestia,  n.  3218  : 

"  When  the  angels  are  in  affections,  and  at  the  same  time  in  discourse 
concerning  them,  then  with  spirits  in  an  inferior  sphere  suchTn: 
fall  into  representative  species  of  animals  ;  when  the  discourse  is  con- 
cerning good  affections,  there  are  exhibited  beautiful,  tame,  and  useful 
animals,  such  as  were  used  in  sacrifice  in  the  representative  divine 
worship  ,n  the  Jewish  Church,  as  lambs,  sheep,  kids,  she-goats,  rams! 
.    he-goa ts,  calves,  heifers,  oxen  ;  and  in  this  case,  whatsoever  appear 
dt  any  time  upon  the  animal  represents  some  effigy  of  their  thought, 
which  It  IS  given  to  the  upright  and  well-disposed  spirits  to  perceive  ■ 
hence  It  may  appear  what  was  signified  by  animals  in  the  rites  of  the 
Jewish  Church,  and  what  by  the  same  when  mentioned  in  the  Word 
VIZ.,  affections.     But  the  discourse  of  the  angels  concernincr  evil  affec 
tions  ,s  represented  by  beasts  of  a  terrible  appearance,  fierce,  and  use- 
ess,  as  by  tiger^  bears,  wolves,  scorpions,  serpents,  mice,  and   the 

itidt  u,:  w!S?"  "^ "'° '''''''''  '^ '''  -- "--  -'- 

Again :  where  the  internal  sense  of  the  Word  is  explained  we 
are  told  that  proves,  gardem,  paradises,  .fee,  correspond  to, 'and 
thence  signify,,  the  things  of  knowledge,  of  intelligence,  and  wis- 
dom.    Accordingly,  it  is  said  in  the  Arcana  Ccelestia,  n.  3220  : 

"  When  the  angels  hold  discourse  concerning  things  appertaining  to 
intelligence  and  wisdom,  and  concerning  perceptions  and  know"edges 

spirits  far?"^'  ""^  """^  "-^"^^  '"'»  corresponding  socretLsof 
kin"?om  i'  1°  representations  of  such  things  as  are  in  the  vegetable 
kingdom,  a»  into  representations  of  paradises,  of  vineyards,  of  forests, 
of  meadows  adorned  with  flowers,  and  into  several  kinds  ^f  beaut  es 
which  exceed  all  human  imagination.  Hence  it  is,  that  th  se  1  S 
^vhich  relate  to  wisdom  and  intelligence,  are  described  in  the  Word  by 


swedenborg's  memorabilia. 


321 

paradises    vineyards,  forests,  meadows,  and  that  where  these  things 
are  named,  such  things  are  signified."  ^ 

Again :   in  his  expositions  of  Scripture,  Swedenborg  tells  us 
that  clouds  correspond  to  truths  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word 
which  may  appear  dark  or  luminous  according  to  the  state  of  onp's 
understandmg  :  —  that  whUe  clovds  correspond  to  truths  seen  with 
clearness,  and  black  clouds  to  truths  obscured,  or  to  falsities      He 
also  frequently  tells  us  that  fire  or  flame  corresponds  to  love,  and 
liOht  to  truth  ;  and  wherever  they  occur  in  the  Word,  they  sicrnify 
these.     And  that  these  words  have  such  a  signification  in  the 
fecripture,  has  been  shown  in   some   of  the  preceding  lectures. 
Hence,  from  what  has  been  said  of  correspondences  in  the  spir- 
itual world,  we  may  easily  conceive  how  angelic  discourse  mirrht 
sometimes  be  represented  to  those  in  the  world  of  spirits.    Accord- 
ingly, we  are  told  in  the  Arcana  Ccelestia,  n.  3221,  '2 : 

"  The  discourses  of  angels  are  sometimes  represented  by  clouds 
and  by  their  forms,  colors,  motions,  and  translations  ;  affirmatives  of 
truth  by  bright  and  ascending  clouds,  negatives  by  dark  and  descend- 
ing  clouds  ;  affirmatives  of  what  is  false  by  dusky  and  black  clouds  ; 
consent  and  dissent  by  various  consociations  and  dissociations  of 
clouds,  and  these  in  a  sky  color,  such  as  is  that  of  the  heavens  in  the 
night. 

«  Moreover  the  different  kinds  of  love  and  their  affections  are  rep- 
resented  by  flames,  and  this  with  inexpressible  variation  ;  but  truths 
are  represented  by  lights,  and  by  innumerable  modifications  of  light  • 
hence  it  may  appear,  from  what  ground  it  is,  that,  by  flames  in  the 
Word,  are  signified  the  good  things  appertaining  to  love,  and  by  hVhts 
the  truths  appertaining  to  faith." 

These  examples  will  suffice  to  show  us  generally,  how  the  Mem- 
orahiUa  of   Swedenborg,  which  contain   his   Relations  of  thincrs 
seen  in  the  spiritual  world,  are  to  be  understood.     It  would  be 
easy  to  fill  a  volume  with  similar  examples,  showing  a  most  perfect 
agreement  between  these  Relations,  and  the  internal  sense  of  the 
Word  as  unfolded  by  means  of  the  Science  of  Correspondences 
We    everywhere  find   that   the   things   described  in   the   Memo- 
rabdia  are  precisely  what  they  should  be,  according  to  the  prin- 
ciple   or    law    of    correspondence,    as   elsewhere    explained    by 
Swedenborg,  and   the  truth  of  which  we  have  verified  in  some 
of  the  preceding  lectures :  that  is,  the  things  seen  and  described, 
are  found  to  be  always  perfectly  correspondent  with  the  thincrs 
of  affection  and  thought,  which,  at  the  time,  happen  to  be  mo*^t 


I 


322 


swedenborg's  memorabilia. 


active  in  the  minds  of  those  in  whose  immediate   vicinity  they 
were  seen. 

This  agreement  between  the  Memorabilia  of  Swedenborg,  and 
the  internal  sense  of  the  Scripture,  is  so  remarkable,  as  utterly  to 
forbid  the  idea  that  it  could  have  been  the  result  either  of  chance, 
mgenuity,  or  monomania.     I  cannot  conceive  how  any  fair-minded 
man  can  become  sufficiently  acquainted  with  both,  to  perceive  this 
remarkable  agreement,  without  admitting  it  to  be  of  such  a  nature, 
that  it  can  be  explained  only  on  the  supposition  that  Swedenborg 
actually  saw  and  heard,  in  the  spiritual  world,  the  things  which  he 
has  described.      His  Memorabilia,  when  viewed  through  the   me- 
dium of  a  carnal  mind,  cannot  but  appear  like  absurd lind  ridicu- 
lous stories.    But  when  rightly  understood— when  the  things  which 
they  describe,  are  regarded  as  the  representative  images'^of  spir- 
itual principles,  bodied  forth  according  to  a  divine  and  immutable 
law— they  appear  beautiful  and  full  of  heavenly  wisdom.     To  be 
seen  aright,  they  must  be  "spiritually  discerned.'' 

The  Memorabilia^  however,  cannot  easily  be  believed  by  persons 
who  have  but  little  knowledge  of  the  internal  sense  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, and  but  a  slight  acquaintance  wiih  the  truths  of  the  New 
Church  generally  ;    for  such  persons  will  not  easily  understand 
them.     But  while  there  are  so  many  things  in  the  writings  of  Swe- 
denborg, which  all  who  are  in  the  good  of  life  may  understand,  and 
may  know  to  be  true— things  which  address  powerfully  the  rational 
faculty  of  every  unprejudiced  mind  —  would  it  not"  be  fair  and 
reasonable  to  conclude  that  his  Memorable  Relations  must  also  be 
true,  even  though  we  were  not  able  to  see  their  entire  consistency 
and  rationahty  ?     The  Christian  tells  the  infldel,  -  Although  there 
are  many  parts  of  Scripture  which  we  cannot  explain,  and  which, 
to  our  superficial  understanding,  appear  absurd,  or  without  mean- 
ing, yet  we  believe  it  is  all  Divine  Wisdom,  and  susceptible  of 
explanation,  on  account  of  the  wisdom  in  those  parts  which  we  can 
understand,  and  which  we  know  to  be  tri^.''     And  this  reasoning 
is  admitted  to  be  just  and  logical.     But  the  man  who  has  con"^ 
firmed  himself  in  the  belief  that  the  Bible  is  all  a  fabrication  and 
utteriy  unworthy  of  credit,  and  who,  without  having  sufficiently 
examined  the  evidence  of  its  divine  origin,  or  fully  considered  its 
influence  upon  the  human  race,  is  bent  upon  proving  it  false  and 
ridiculous— such   a  man  opens  perhaps  at  the  IGth'^Psalm  ;  and 
there  he  reads  that  '*  God  rode  upon  a  cherub  and  did  fly.'''    He 
opens  again  at  the  first  chapter  of  Ezekiel ;  and  there  he  reads 


swedenborq's  memorabilia.  323 

that  a  cherub  was  a  creature,  in  form  hke  a  man,  with  four  faces— 
as  of  a  man,  a  lion,  an  ox,  and  an  eagle— with  four  wings,  under 
which  were  the  hands  of  a  man— and  with  the  hoofs  of  a  calf. 
And  then,  as  if  he  thoroughly  understood  the  meaning  of  this 
language  of  Scripture,  and  with  a  tone  of  conscious  pride  in  his 
own  superior  wisdom,  he  exclaims,  *^  What  nonsense  !     As  if  the 
Infinite  Jehovah  ever  rode  upon  such  a  strange  creature  as  is  here 
described !     And  can  any  man,  who  is  not  absolutely  dementate, 
believe  that  a  book,  which  contains  such  absurdities,  is  the  Word 
OF  God?"     And  the  Christian  replies  to  him  — justly  enough— 
that  this  is  not  quite  fair ;  and  that  possibly,  if  he  studied""  the 
Scripture  more  thoroughly,  and  understood  it  better,  he  would  think 
and   speak  very  diff-erently  concerning  it.     Yet  (strange  inconsis- 
tency !  )  the  very  thing  which  the  avowed  infidel  does  in  regard  to 
the  Scripture— nay,  even  worse  things— men,  calling  themselves 
Christians,  have  done,  and  continue  to  do,  in  regard  to  the  writings 
of  Swedenborg.     They  quote  passages  from  his  Memorabilia,  the 
meaning  of  which  they  do  not  understand,  and  after  tearing  them 
out  from  their  proper  connection,  and  interpreting  them  acc'ording 
to  their  own  carnal  conceptions,  they  cry  out,  "  absurdity  and  non"^ 
sense  !  "     And  I  ask  if  we  have  not  good  reason  to  say,  that  such 
a  mode  of  dealing  with   the  writings  of  Swedenborg  is  not  quite 
fair  ?     And  whether,  in  the  eye  of  Him  who  looketh  on  the  heart, 
professing  Christians,  who  do  thus,  may  not  be  as  far,  or  eyen  fur- 
ther, from  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  than  the  avowed  infidel  himself  ? 
And  however  they  may  build  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  gar- 
nish the  sepulchres  of  the  righteous,  are  they  not  witnesses  unto 
themselves,  that  they  are  the  children  of  them  that  killed  the 
prophets  ? 

I  would,  therefore,  entreat  all  who  are  disposed  to  ridicule  and 
reject  the  writings  of  Swedenborg,  on  account  of  the  alleged  vis- 
ions they  contain,  to  pause— and  consider,  whether  they  do  not,  in 
their  hearts,  if  not  with  their  lips,  mock  at  the  visions  of  the  apos- 
tles and  prophets,  and  reject  the  Holy  Scripture  as  a  revelation 
from  God. 

But  let  it  not  be  supposed,  because  Swedenborg's  spiritual  senses 
were  opened,  so  as  to  enable  him  to  see  and  converse  with  those 
in  the  spiritual  worid,  that  therefore  all  who  receive  the  truths 
which  he  was  ihQ  instrument  in  unfolding,  enjoy  the  same  privi- 
lege. Among  other  misrepresentations  which  have  gone  abroad 
concerning   the  New  Church,  it  has   sometimes  been  said   and 


324 


SWEDENBOBO'S    MEMORABILIA. 


believed,  that  we  profess  to  have  visions,  and  to  enjoy  open  inter- 
course with  spirits.    But  this  is  not  true-certainly  not  in  respect  to 
tho!*e  who  are  well  instructed  in  the  writings  of  the  Church  •  for  these 
writings  themselves  teach,  that  such  intercourse  is  not  allowed  at 
the  present  day,  because  it  would  not  be  useful,  nor  generally  safe 
It  IS  sometimes  brought  as  an  objection  to  the  revelations  made 
for  the  New  Jerusalem,  that  Swedcnborg  wrought  no  miracles 
neither  pretended   to  work  any.     But  such  an  objection  would 
never  be   made  by  one  who  had  well  read  and  understood  his 
writings  ;  for  such  an  one  would  be  able  to  see,  that  truth  ration, 
ally  received  beareth  witness  of  itself;  and  that  no  miracles  could 
make  it  better  understood,  or  render  its  certainty  more  evident. 
Beside,  most  of  the  prophets  did  no  miracle ;  and  it  is  distinctly 
said  of  John  the  forerunner  of  Jesus,  that  he  "  did  no  miracle  " 
(John,  X.  41.)     And  yet  we  find  that  the  Lord  reproved  those  who 
hearkened  not  to  the  preaching  of  the  prophets  and  of  John.    ^See 
Matt,  xi.)  ^ 

In  one  of  his  Memorabilia  (C.  L.,  n.  632,)  our  author  tells  us 

that  he  was  once,  as  to  his  spirit,  raised  into  an  angelic  society  • 

and  being  inquired  of  by  the  angels,  what  there  was  new  from  the 

earth,  he  replied,  that  the  Lord  had  revealed  to  men,  that  in  all 

things,  and  in  each  particular  of  the  Word,  there  is  a  spiritual 

sense  corresponding  to  the  natural  sense  :  That  the  correspondences 

of  which  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word  consists,  are  disclosed  • 

That  the  things  concerning  heaven  and  hell  and  a  life  after  death 

are  revealed  :  That  it  is  made  known  that  there  are  three  de-rees 

of  life  with  man,  corresponding  to  the  three  angelic  heavens  °  and 

that  God  is  one  in  essence  and  in  person,  in  whom  is  a  divine 

trinity,  and  that  He  is  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  who  is  the  God  of 

heaven  and  earth.     When  it  was  told  that  these  and  other  heavenly 

arcana  had  been  revealed  to  men,  Swedenborg  says  : 

"  The  angels,  from  having  heard  this,  rejoiced  greatly,  but  they  per- 
ceived a  sadness  in  me,  and  asked,  Whence Js  your  sadness  ?  I  said 
that  those  arcana  at  this  day  revealed  by  the  Lord,  although  in  excel- 
lence and  worth  {dignilate)  they  exceed  the  knowledges  hitherto  made 
known,  still  on  earth  are  reputed  as  of  no  value.  At  this  the  antreU 
wondered,  and  entreated  of  the  Lord,  that  thev  might  be  permitted  to 
look  down  into  the  world;  and  they  looked  down,  and  behold  mere 
darkness  there;  and  it  was  said  to  them,  that  those  arcana  should  be 
written  upon  paper,  and  the  paper  be  let  down  upon  earth,  and  thev 
would  see  a  prodigy;  and  it  was  done  so,  and,  behold,  the  paper  on 
which  those  arcana  were  written,  was  let  down  from  heaven,  and  in  its 


SWEDENBORO'S    MEMORABILIA.  335 

progress,  while  it  was  yet  in  the  spiritual  world,  it  shone  as  a  star 
but  when  It  descended  into  the  natural  world,  the  light  disappeared 
and  ,n  the  same  degree  as  it  fell,  it  was  covered  with  darkness  ami' 
when  It  was  let  down  by  the  angels  into  companies  where  wer;  the 
learned  and  erudite  from  the  clergy  and  the  ifity,  there  was  he  .I 
murmur  from  many,  in  which  were  heard  these  expressions  :  What  is 

II       A       ?r'""^'     ^^^'  ^°''  "  '='""=«^"  us,  whether  we  know 
them  or  do  not  know  them  1     Are  they  not  the  productions  if^ius  Z 
the  brain  1     And  it  appeared  as  if  some  took  the  paper,  and  folded  it 
rolled  and  unrolled  it  with  their  fingers,  in  order  th.^  they  mtht' 
obliterate  the  writing;  and  it  appeared  as  if  some  tore  it  i^pfect 
and  some  as  .f  they  wanted  to  trample  upon  it  with  their  feerrbut 

mandTr  ''^*'  "^'^  ^om  that  enormity,  and  it  was  com 

manded  the  angels  to  draw  it  back  and  guard  it ;  and  because  the 
angels  became  sad,  and  thought  how  long  it  would  be  thus,  it  was  said 
VnUl    usque  ad  )  a  time  and  times  and  ha'f  a  time.     (  Rev.  xii.  14.  ) 

«nH    t  r  ^"^l^  ^^"""^  '^  'P''^''"'  •""™"'  fr°™  those  below, 

and  at  the  same  time  these  words,  Do  miracles  and  we  will  believe 

and  I  asked  whether  the  things  above  named  were  not  miracles,  ani 
It  was  answered.  They  are  not.  And  I  asked.  What  miracles,  then  1 
And  It  was  said,  Manifest  and  reveal  future  events,  and  we  will  have 
faith.  But  I  answered,  Such  things  are  not  given  from  heaven,  since 
L      ^,1  r"     T"  """■"  "''""'''  '°  ^"^  ^''  ^^''^o"  and  understand- 

bro,',!'    »     /  r  '!"    '"'"^°"''  '■""  '"'°  '"^'^"^'ty'  a^e  torpid,  and 

brought  to  decay      And  again  I  asked.  What  other  miracles  shall  I 

do  .     And  then  the  cry  was  made.  Do  such  miracles  as  Moses  did  in 
.hf       ll        J  '■"P""'''  P^^hance  you  will  harden  your  hearts  at 
them,  as  Pharaoh  and  the  Egyptians  did  ;  and  it  was  answered,  that 
they  would  not.     But  again  I  said.  Assure  me,  that  you  will  not  dance 
around  a  golden  calf,  and  adore  it  like  the  posterity  of  Jacob,  which 
they  did  m  the  space  of  a  month  after  they  had  seen  the  whole  mount 
Sina.  burning,  and  heard  Jehovah  himself  speaking  out  of  the  fire 
thus  after  a  miracle,  which  was  the  greatest  of  all.     And  it  was 
answered  from  those  below.  We  will  not  be  as  the  posterity  of  Jacob 
But  at  that  moment  I  heard  this  said  to  them  from  heaven  ;  If  vou 
beheve  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  that  is,  the  Word  of  the  Lord 
you  will  not  believe  from  miracles  more  than  the  sons  of  Jacob  in  the 
desert ;  nor  more  than  they  believed,  when  with  their  own  eyes  they 

woTld."''  ^  ^^  *''"  ^"^  '•''"'""■'  ^''"^  ««  ^"^  '"  the 

'"'r,r  "^I?  V'^'P'^'^'  '°  *^  foregoing  lectures  to  present  in 
an  mte  hgible  form,  some  of  the  leading  doctrines  which  charac- 
terize that  New  Dispensation  of  Christianity,  whereof  I  have 
spoken.     I  have  not  given  my  opinion  merely,  or  truths  which  I 


328 


8WEDENB0RG*S    MEMORABILIA. 


have  discovered  by  the  light  of  my  own  intelligence  :  but  I  have 
endeavored  only  to  unfold  and  elucidate  some  of  the  great  truths 
revealed  in  the  theological  writings  of  Swedenborg.     No  one  can 
be  more  conscious  than  myself  of  the  very  imperfect  manner,  in 
which  the  several  topics  here  treated  have  been  discussed.     I  have 
at  times  felt  painfully  oppressed  with  the  magnitude  of  my  subject, 
which  I  could  do  little  more  than  glance  at  within  the  ordinary 
hmits  of  a  single  lecture.     But  perhaps  the  great  object  which  I 
had  in  view  in  commencing  these  lectures,  has  been  attained.     Im- 
perfectly as  the  doctrines  of  the  New  Church  have  here  been  pre- 
sented,  perhaps  some  have   had  their  understanding  sufficiently 
opened,  to  perceive  the  contrast  which  exists  between  these  doc- 
trines and  those  of  the  Old  Church  ;  and  have  been  able  to  discover 
the  vast  superiority  of  the  former,  in  point  oT  beauty,  order,  con- 
sistency, reasonableness,  and  agreement  with  both  the  Volume  of 
nature  and  of  revelation.     If  so,  I  trustt  hey  may  be  induced  to 
follow  this  little  light,  which  may  now  be  but  as  the  day-star  in  the 
east  to  their  minds,  until  they  come  to  the  clear,  bright  blaze  of 
heaven's  own  Sun. 

In  presenting  this  New  Revelation  as  I  have,  for  the  considera- 
tion of  honest  and  unprejudiced  minds,  I  have  simply  yielded  to 
what  seemed  a  dictate  of  duty.     To  thousands  beside  myself,  who 
have  been  *' waiting  for  the  consolation  of  Israel,''  the  truths  of 
this  Revelation  have  been  **glad  tidings  of  great  joy."     I  have 
therefore  spoken  concerning  them,  because  I  could  not  well  keep 
silence.     I  have  spoken  in  earnest,  because  the  existing  state  of 
the  Christian  Church,  and  the  character  of  the  truths  whereof  I 
have  spoken,  have  caused  me  to  feel  in  earnest.     I  have  spoken 
seriously,  because  I  deem  the   truths  of  this  New  Dispensation 
worthy  the  serious  consideration  of  all  serious  minds.     I  have 
spoken  with  confidence,  because  I  have  felt  confident  that  I  was 
speaking  of  the  very  doctrines  of  heaven — uttering  nothing  but  the 
truth ;— because  the  light  of  this  New  liispensation  has  been  to 
my  own  mind,  as  that  light  from  heaven  above  the  brightness  of 
the  sun,  which  shone  round  about  the  Apostle  while  he  journeyed 
toward  Damascus.     I  have  spoken  with  great  plainness,  because  I 
have  been  afraid  of  falling  into  that  spirit  of  accommodation  and 
prudential  concealment,  so  common  in  our  times,  and  of  thereby 
in  some  degree  compromising  the  truth.     I  have  spoken  with  much 
freedom  concerning  the  end  or  spiritual  consummation  of  the  first 
Christian  Cliurch,  because  what  Swedenborg  has  taught  hereon  is 


swedenborg's  memorabilia.  327 

fact.     But  because  we  bel.eve  that  the  first  Christian  Church  as  a 

S'tit:  r„: '° '? "'' '  -^-^^  -^^  ^^  -p^-^^ ''-  - 

oelieve  there  is  no  goodness  or  truth  in  the  minds  of  individuals 
nominally  belonging  to  that  Church.  So  far  from  this,  we  believe 
there  are  many  of  its  members  who  are  in  the  good  of  Je-X 
who  are  but  little  confirmed  in  the  false  dogmas  of  that  Chur'h- 

to  the  iT  h*:  :."r"^  "/'"^  ^«^'"^*  '''^'  -^  «-  -"  aecrdin. 
o  the  light  they  have ;  for  it  is  a  singular  fact,  that  many  of  i\^ 

ve  se  heelj   w  th  them  concerning  their  religious  doctrines    will 

peir  ht  ^^*  the  Apostle,  that  -God  is  no  respecter  of 
persons .  but  m  every  nation  he  that  feareth  Him  and  worketh 
righteousness,  is  accepted  with  Him  "  "orkein 

T  Jwk"^""'? ?  ''^  "'"  ^'^  ^^'"'"'^  '^'^^h  that  all  who  look  to  the 
hI  '"'rf.f''  -^'^i"-  °f  '-  Word,  shun  evils  and  sins  against 
Him,  and  do  the  commandments,  will  be  saved.    Swedenborcr  says  • 
"It  IS  provided  that  every  one,  in  whatever  heresy  he  is  al  to  th. 
understanding,  may  still  be  reformed  and  saved,  providd  he  shuns  evfls 
as  s,ns,  and  does  not  confirm  heretical  falsities  with  himself    Lbt 
shunning  evils  as  sins  the  will  is  reformed,  and  through  Th     (viltte 
under  td,  ^^ich  then  first  comes   out  of  darkfess  int^  iht 
There  are  three  essentials  of  the  Church,  the  acknowledgment  of  the 
and  th  °  •       ^:'i' '''  '^^knowledgment  of  the  sanctity  of  the  Wo  d 
and  the  hfe  which  is  called  charity ;  according  to  the  life,  4  ch  ij 

what  hfr'^r"  ''^%'"""  '™"'  '"^^  ^-'i  -  the  knoie   "f 
IfL.h        .  /k'"''^''""'  *'  ^'^  '^  reformation  and  salvation 
If  these  three  had  been  as  the  essentials  of  the  church,  intellectua 
dissensions  would  not  have  divided,  but  only  have  varied  it  as  the  ilh 
vanes  the  colors  in  beautiful  objects,  and  as  various  diadems  make  rhe 
beauty  m  a  king's  crown."— D.  p.,  n.  259. 

But  as  there  are  different  degrees  in  regeneration,  so  there  are 
different  degrees  in  which  a  man  may  be  saved.  And  inasmuch 
as  truth  IS  the  only  means  of  revealing  to  us  our  states  of  life  and 
showing  us  what  are  sins  against  God.  therefore  the  more  and  purer 
truths  we  have,  the  more  have  we  the  means  of  being  saved  for 
we  are  then  able  to  discover  more  evils  in  ourselves,  and  if  we 
resist  and  overcome  them  we  suall  thereby  attain  to  a  hioher 
degree  of  salvation,  and  consequent  happiness 

1  have  scrupulously  avoided  in  these  lectures  all  appeals  to  the 
sympathies,  or  the  fears,  or  any  of  the  feehngs,  of  the  natural  man. 


:?28 


swedenborq's  memorabilia. 


This  may  have  seemed  rather  singular,  especially  at  a  time  when 
there  is  such  a  general  craving  for  religious  excitement;  and  when 
the  fears  and  passions,  more  than  the  understandings  of  men,  are 
addressed  by  religious  teachers.  But  I  regard  all  excitement  in 
religion,  as  well  as  in  other  things,  not  less  hurtful  and  dangerous, 
than  it  is  common.  I  am  sure  that  no  one  crnieth  unto  the"^ Father 
but  by  the  Son— ih^i  is,  no  one  cometh  into  a  state  of  heavenly  love, 
but  by  means  of  truth  rationally  received ;  and  all  excitement  of  the 
natural  feelings,  is  prejudicial  to  a  clear  understanding  and  rational 
reception  of  the  truth. 

As^  yet,  this  New  Dispensation  is  only  in  its  dawn.    And  although 
all  the  evil  loves  of  men,  and  all  the  powers  of  hell  are  arrayed 
against  its  truths,  yet  the  omnipotent  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  in  them, 
and  their  progress,  however  slow,  is  sure.     Skepticism  may  ca^il-^ 
bigotry  may  sneer— prejudice  may  turn  away  its  face  in  scorn- 
nay,  the  serpent  may  be  permitted  to  rear  aloft  its  hideous  crest, 
and  bruise  the  spirits  of  men  "  for  a  time  and  times  and  half  a 
time,"  but  the  seed  of  the  woman  must  finally  bruise  his  head. 
So  sure  as  the  Lord  liveth  and  reigneth,  the  march  of  his  truth,  as 
unfolded  for  the  New  Jerusalem,  is  onward  forever.     And  yonder 
broad  river  that  hurries  to  the  ocean,  could  as  easily  be  stopped  in 
its  career  by  the  puny  hand  of  man,  as  the  onward  and  continually 
increasing  progress  of  the  truths  whereof  I  have  spoken,  can  be 
stayed  by  any  human  opposition.     They  may  be  opposed— ridiculed 
—scorned— persecuted— for  thus  it  has  ever  fared  with  the  truth  ; 
but  they  cannot  be  crushed  nor  stopped.     **  Conquering  and  to 
conquer,"  they  must  ever  go,  until  "the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ :   and  He 
shall  reign  forever  and  ever." 


THE    END 


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